


Grimmy

by unicornball



Category: Grimm (TV), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU - crossover, Adult Language, Anal Sex, Auror Harry Potter, Bottom Harry, Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Cops and Aurors, Creatures/Wesen, Crossover Pairings, Cuddling & Snuggling, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Feelings, First Time, Fluff, Hand Jobs, M/M, Magic, Male Slash, Minor Character Deaths, Rimming, Sex in a Car
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-01
Updated: 2013-10-10
Packaged: 2017-12-25 07:06:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 110,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/950152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unicornball/pseuds/unicornball
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <strong>Auror Harry Potter follows a lead to Portland and needs the help of the friendly, neighborhood Grimm. Nick Burkhardt thought being a Grimm would be the strangest thing he ever encountered.</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Until he met Harry Potter. </strong>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Well hello Detective Nick Burkhardt...

**Author's Note:**

> _I was watching Grimm and had a little (uh, inappropriate) daydream of Nick meeting up with Harry. I looked around and there aren't really any fics like that already (for shame!) so I had to do my own. And voila! Grimmy was created. Not my usual thang but I figured 'why not?'._
> 
> _I used the Grimm Wiki for the technical things so, I'm going to put a key at the end for all the random Grimm bits for any folks here for the HP part of the story (hopefully it won't be confusing for anyone that doesn't watch the show)._
> 
> _Enjoy._

Harry Potter landed with a stumble, cursing under his breath as he managed to just barely keep his footing. He absently blew a few errant strands of hair out of his eyes. Thankfully he'd learned to silently apparate years ago, and since he'd managed to distract himself at the last minute and miss his target by a good 100 yards, his sudden presence wasn't given away. He landed right by the sign for the town of Portland, OR. He sighed with relief as he looked around; the immediate area was quiet and deserted. He fished out the shrunken file from his pocket, enlarged it and re-familiarized himself with the information, removing the folded map. He needed to find the police station. He fought the urge to just use a _Point Me_ and turned the map a few times, trying to orient himself, before he started walking.

He walked into the police station, the familiar sounds soothing. As an Auror, it was almost the same cacophony of controlled chaos he was used to whenever he entered the Auror department at the Ministry. The only thing missing were people dashing about in robes -instead of uniformed and plain-clothed cops mixing with civilians- and memos zooming overhead.

He stopped by the main desk, putting on a friendly smile. "Hullo, I'd like to speak with Detective Nick Burkhardt, please."

The uniformed officer behind the desk looked Harry over, a small, polite smile on her face. "In regards to?" she asked with a polite but commanding tone.

"A case." Harry said and flashed a badge. Well, it was a leather bi-fold he'd glamoured to look like a badge, anyway. Aurors didn't use badges. Their distinctive robes and overall aura was enough identification in the Wizarding world. So far any case he has had to work with Muggle authorities, the glamoured badge has worked without a problem; anyone looking saw what they needed to see. It probably helped he acted 'like a cop', as well. He'd learned Muggle cops were as instinctual as any Auror. He gave his best charming smile when she leaned forward and studied his 'badge'. Her eyes flicked over where he knew his name and picture would be and she nodded after another moment of study, her eyes flicking between his face and the 'badge'.

"Right through there," the officer finally said with a smile and pointed to a set of double doors, large windows in the carved wood gave a clear view of a busy room and numerous cops at work. "To the left."

Harry nodded his thanks and made his way to a large room full of desks, each cluster consisting of two desks pushed together -facing each other. Only about half were occupied, the rest were in various states of clutter and disorder he saw frequently at his own department. It was nice to see the similarities.

He fought the ridiculous urge to pause and stare with a smitten smile when he saw Detective Nick Burkhardt hunched over a pile of opened files. The picture he had on file didn't do the man justice and he had to fight down any urges that warred with his professionalism. He rounded the desk, making sure he was in the man's eye line and softly cleared his throat. "Detective Nick Burkhardt?" He tried not to ogle the exposed forearms and head of stylishly messy, short dark hair.

"Yeah," Nick said, not looking up. He was desperate not to lose his train of thought; he was so close to connecting the facts together, he could _feel_ it. Not getting any other response from the visitor, he looked up with a small frown only to blink with surprise when he looked up. The rather short, skinny man standing by his desk was somehow a rather imposing figure. Belatedly, the accent filtered in his mind and he narrowed his eyes slightly at the other man. He was standing casually but with authority. Nick couldn't help looking the man up and down, taking in bright green eyes and a complete bird's nest of black hair, and feeling rather stumped by his presence. Something about him made the Grimm instinct niggle in the back of his mind but it wasn't the usual feeling. Very curious...

He looked up again and noticed the green eyes regarding him with cautious friendliness. "What can I do for you?" he finally asked, refusing to be embarrassed at what was surely a too-long perusal of the other man.

Harry gave a small, polite smile and held up his 'badge'. "Detective Harry Potter. Scotland Yard, Metropolitan Police." He watched the dark haired man glance at his badge with furrowed brows and then back at him, still frowning. He wanted to fidget at the intense gaze from the piercing blue-grey eyes as they studied him. It was unsettling. "I followed a lead here," he said and looked around with interest before giving Nick his attention again.

"I see," Nick said slowly, intrigue swiftly joining the earlier slight irritation and curiosity. It answered his question and didn't at the same time. Kind of annoying, actually. "What can I help you with Detective Potter?" he asked calmly. He didn't know why the man was claiming to be a cop, a _British_ cop, and flashed an empty wallet -he _had_ seen a badge but when he concentrated on it, it blinked away like an illusion- like it had a badge in it. It was very odd. The shorter man _looked_ like a cop and he wasn't feeling any actual deception otherwise. He watched as Potter looked around again, a touch of discomfort on his face.

"Is there somewhere we can talk that's a bit more private?" Harry asked. "I'd rather not be overheard..." he trailed off, eyeing the numerous people walking around. Most weren't paying them any mind, but he barely liked the idea of discussing what he needed to with the Detective and he really didn't fancy being overheard. Casting a privacy ward was also out of the question, no matter how much he wanted to. He didn't fancy Obliviating an entire room of Muggle cops. The paperwork alone made him want to shudder.

Nick nodded after a long moment and stood, closing his files before leading the way to one of the empty interrogation rooms. He leaned against the edge of the table and crossed his arms. "What can I help you with?" he asked again when Detective Potter had stepped in and closed the door. He wiped any emotion from his face when Potter sighed and lost a bit of the confidence from his posture. Apparently, this wasn't going to be run of the mill.

"I need your help with a case," Harry started and pulled the file from his pocket, glad he'd taken care to enlarge it before he came in. He sorted through some papers and pulled out a few pictures and a typed report. It had taken him weeks to find a Muggle typewriter and it came in handy in times such as these. Muggles always looked at parchment like an oddity and computers just blew up whenever he did even the simplest charm near them. He passed the pages over to Nick, keeping a few in the folder.

"We've been tracking a terrorist group." He nodded at the papers, feeling the familiar, sickening flush of rage and helplessness he always felt when dealing with Death Eaters. The few that escaped death or capture from the last war were trying to regroup, and had started recruiting again. The Ministry even had to have Aurors at Hogwarts full time, trying to keep the later-years from Death Eater influence. It was disheartening to know they'd attempting to reach every house, not just Slytherin. It wasn't exactly the sort of open-mindedness and acceptance of Muggleborns and Half-bloods he'd hoped for.

Nick looked through the photos and tried not to grimace. He has seen a lot, both as a Grimm and as a cop, but the photos he looked at now had his stomach churning. One photo had him wondering how much blood had _remained_ in the victim as a large pool surrounded a very pale, very shredded corpse. Another almost had him cupping his crotch protectively as he took in the mutilation the man suffered.

He looked up briefly to see Detective Potter looking at him with a guarded expression. "Who...? What...?" He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He'd certainly had his share of weird cases but he didn't know how he'd come to Potter's attention. "Why come to me?" he eventually asked, truly curious. There were plenty of detectives on duty today but the guy came right to him, asking for him by name.

"I noted your name on a few reports of a... similar nature. I was told you were used to dealing with cases of an odd sort," Harry said slowly, still unsure of Nick's reaction. It hadn't taken much research to find the detective's name after looking into other such cases once he widened his search. Nick looked understandably shaken by the photos. Victims in various stages of dissection—many found later to have been done premortem—and the victims of various magical creatures. The worst, somehow, were the ones that weren't at all bloody; faces distorted and frozen in terror or bodies completely intact but drained of every drop of blood.

He stood there, watching patiently and quietly, as Nick flipped through the papers again; this time he read them thoroughly instead of skimming like he'd done the first time. Harry hadn't included anything that gave any indication the case was anything out of the Muggle world. He hadn't had a chance to glamour the Ministry seal and other magic-related information off of some of the the papers.

Nick read detailed detective reports, witness reports and autopsy reports and something settled heavily in his chest and stomach. He wondered how often Potter dealt with this sort of stuff. By the look of him he couldn't tell. He looked young but there was definitely knowledge of highly unpleasant things in those green eyes.

"What did you leave out?" he finally asked, looking up, his eyes quickly darting to the file still in Detective Potter's hand before looking back at the man.

"Nothing important," Harry said and quelled the childish urge to hide the file behind his back. "I'm not exactly permitted to share even that much," he said pointing to the numerous pages in Nick's hand. He was only supposed to show one photo and the report he'd written but he knew the man would've required more information. He certainly would have. Plus, he had a feeling Nick would be able to keep anything he learned to himself.

"Alright," Nick said slowly and tossed the papers onto the table with a soft slap. "What can I help with?"

Harry straightened and sighed inaudibly with relief. "I don't exactly have jurisdiction here so I need someone that does. I need to track down some leads and ask questions."

"I'll have ask my Captain," Nick said, his eyes drawn back to the top photo before regarding Potter with an expression that was half interested-half questioning. If he didn't know better, he'd swear one -or more- was a victim of a Blutbad or similar type Wesen. He glanced back at Potter and shrugged one shoulder. He was interested and if Captain Renard said no, which he doubted he would once he explained the details, he'd argue until the man gave in. This wasn't a case he could ignore.

Harry nodded, understanding. "I understand. If he allows it, will you help me?"

"If he does, yeah," Nick said, his eyes back on the top photo. "I'll help you."

Harry nodded again, a small relieved smile on his face. He could probably work something out if Nick's Captain needed proof or asked to speak with his superior. The head Auror knew he was here on the case but he didn't work with Muggles often. It always amused him to see the man look awkward when the rare occasion came around and he'd defer to Harry or any of the other Muggleborn Aurors. He didn't even know how to work a phone.

He silently prayed Nick had a good repport with his captain and nothing would go wrong.

 

-=#=-

Harry fidgeted in the front passenger seat of the car. He rolled down a window, cranking the lever with jerky movements and leaned towards the fresh air, trying not to stick his head out like a dog. He had been in a car enough times to count on one hand and he still didn't enjoy it. It was cramped and he felt like he was rolling in a tiny, metal death trap. He _might_ feel better if he had been able to cast a strong protection charm (or a cushioning charm... maybe even a repelling charm) but he hadn't gotten the opportunity to sneak out his wand. He knew it was ridiculous, but he felt safer perched on a broom. At least that he could control.

"Are you alright?" Nick asked, his eyes darting from the tense man beside him before returning to watch the road. The poor guy was nearly hyperventilating and there was a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead and upper lip as his tightly clenched fists rested stiffly on his thighs. He rolled his own window down, adding to the draft. He looked quickly away when Potter gave him a small, grateful smile.

"Yeah," Harry mumbled. "I don't like riding in cars," he muttered and looked out the window and tried not to envision someone slamming into them and crushing the car. He shuddered, visions of Muggle car accidents assaulting him. Why he ever checked the stats for car accidents, he'll never know. He should have just used the new internet connection for porn like Seamus had recommended. He hadn't been able to be in a car calmly ever since; he was grateful the occasion didn't arise often. "How much longer?" he asked, trying to sound calm.

Nick peeked over again before stopping at a light. "Just down this block," he said pointing a finger off of the steering wheel. He looked over at Potter. "Hey, man. Do you need a minute?"

"No," Harry said and wiped at his brow. "I'm fine." He gave a shaky smile and sighed with relief when Nick pulled the car against a curb and parked. He was out of the car before the man had even turned the contraption off. He took a deep, shaky breath and resisted the urge to kiss the sidewalk. He waited until Nick came around and stood next to him. "Which one?"

Nick pointed to a small, pale yellow house that had seen better days. The paint was cracked and peeling, some of the siding was hanging at odd angles. The grass was either overgrown or brown in ugly, mottled patches. A crooked address marker showed it to be number 45. "That one," he said and started up the walk. He shifted unconsciously, moving to the left a bit to make room when Harry caught up and matched his stride, walking beside him instead of behind or in front. "How is the guy connected?"

"Witness," Harry said quietly when Nick went to knock. Almost immediately the door was opened and a thin, balding man in a threadbare sweater vest and plaid lounge pants answered the door with a wary expression. "Michael Kellogg?" The man nodded. "Detectives Potter and Burkhardt, Portland Police. May we ask you a few questions?" The man nodded again, his expression tinged with concern and fear as his hands came up and clasped tightly together as he pressed them to his chest.

Nick stood quietly, a bit impressed and a bit put out to have been neatly pushed aside by the British man. He didn't feel slighted but he also felt rather useless as Potter questioned the man, writing notes occasionally on a small leather-bound pad. He subtly peeked over Potter's shoulder and grinned a bit at the messy handwriting; it was barely legible. Some of it even appeared to be in some sort of short-hand or code that was unique to the other Detective.

When there was a lull in questioning, Harry's pen still scratching away like crazy, he cleared his throat. "How did you happen to not be seen?" he asked, looking at the man with a curious expression that barely hid an intense look that had the man fidgeting, his hands tightening on each other.

"I... uhm... I'm very good at not being seen," Michael said evasively, his pale, dishwater blue eyes darting between the two Detectives nervously. "I didn't stay long, I didn't see much more than what I said." He nearly squeaked when he looked at Nick, losing his control for a brief moment. Whiskers twitched nervously before disappearing again.

Harry went still and stiffened subtly when he felt a twinge of magic sweep over him. He glanced up from his notes, his eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't know what the man was hiding but it couldn't have been good but he felt no other magic from the timid man. At all. He glanced over at Nick and saw a muscle in the man's jaw jump as his teeth clenched together and a false smile was plastered onto his face. He clicked his pen away and nodded curtly. Kellogg shrank back, his eyes on Harry now, trying to subtly hide behind his door.

"Thank you, Mr. Kellogg." He took out a card, charming it with a quick burst of wand-less magic to read his name and temporary Muggle cellphone number. "If you think of anything else, please give me a call." The man took it gingerly and hurriedly stepped back, closing the door quickly but quietly. Harry turned abruptly and stalked off towards the curb.

"Helpful?" Nick asked when he finally caught up. For a little guy, Potter was quick. He managed not to flinch when met with darkened green eyes. It was an intimidating look. He didn't blame the Mauzhertz for shrinking back from it.

Harry took a deep breath and let it out, calming a bit, rubbing his palm into his forehead. "Not really. Like he said, he hid and then ran before he saw anything useful." Kellogg had seen a few figures in black capes, standing in a circle and chanting something that sounded like Latin, and that _had_ been important, but it would only strike a Muggle as odd—not identifying or helpful at least. He leaned against the car and checked his notes, stoically ignoring Nick's close proximity when he man leaned against the car next to him, casually glancing over his shoulder to peek at his notes. He stood his ground and grit his teeth slightly when the man's body heat and subtle scent invaded his senses.

"Nothing at all?" Nick asked, looking from Potter's notes to the house. He saw the Mauzhertz woge, a fearful reaction to his presence when he was finally noticed; further proof he'd been relegated to the background for most of the encounter. Oddly, he wasn't all that bothered by that fact. He did noticed that Potter had stiffened but gave no other indication he'd seen anything off. He didn't know if it meant anything, though. Mauzhertzen were hardly dangerous or scary; they were literally part mouse and generally scared of their own shadows. He couldn't see Michael Kellogg being involved unless he was a victim.

Harry shook his head and flipped a page. "I have a list of suspects, can we start on them?" he asked, crossing off a few names. Since he'd written them down, three had been murdered, one died in a random accident and one died of natural causes; strange occurrences that he didn't find at all coincidental and he made a note of it. He glanced up and caught Nick staring at him, the corner of his mouth drawn between his teeth and a pensive look on his face. He jumped slightly when he saw Harry looking at him.

"Yeah, sure," Nick said and hurried to the driver's side, dodging traffic and practically throwing himself into the car. He didn't _get_ Potter and it was a bit unsettling. There was so many different things pinging around on his radar, he didn't know what to focus on. "First name?" Harry held up his notepad and let Nick read it. He didn't have addresses for most of them, but he could get them easily enough. "I know this guy," he said quietly, pointing at a name half-way down the list. A slick stab of dread went through his gut.

"You know," Harry checked where Nick was pointing, " this Monroe?" he asked. It was annoying there was no first name—or maybe last?—listed, but he could manage.

Nick nodded slowly as his hands tightened on the steering wheel. "I do. We're friends, actually," he said, smiling tightly. His forehead met the steering wheel with a hollow thunk. "It's a bit complicated. I'm staying with him for a while."

"Oh," Harry said, gobsmacked. He didn't know what to do or say. He didn't know the man well enough to offer any words that might comfort and he certainly didn't know how it was complicated. He wasn't going to leave the man off the list, or forget questioning him, because Nick knew him, though. He was relieved when Nick didn't ask him to either, even though he looked really upset about the situation. He couldn't help himself from wondering how close the friendship was, mentally cursing himself for his nosiness and unprofessionalism the next second. Unless it related to the case, it wasn't any of his damn business. He shifted awkwardly, unsure what to say or do when Nick just continued to mutter to himself.

Nick muttered and smacked the steering wheel again. If Monroe was involved, as well as that Mauzhertz, this made the case a Grimm issue. He didn't know how involved Potter should be. One glance and he knew Potter wouldn't drop the case, though; he looked the very definition of tenacious. Did the man know about the particulars before chasing it this far? Was he familiar with Wesen? He sighed and let his head fall back on the seat-rest.

"I'd rather talk to him first then, get him either cleared or..." he trailed off and muttered a curse under his breath. He rubbed the heels of his palms into his eyes before starting the car and turning around, headed for 'home'.

 

-=#=-

Harry spent the ride to Monroe's house looking over his notes and thinking, successfully distracted from worrying himself stupid about being in a Muggle car. He chewed the end of his pen, a habit he hadn't been able to break no matter how much Draco scolded or mocked him for it. He chewed his quills too, the rare occasions he had to use one but he preferred pens to the messy things, though. He rolled his eyes at the thought of his partner and huffed with exasperated fondness. Stupid blonde prat didn't want to come with him because he didn't think there was a case this far 'across the world' and over-due paperwork seemed a better use of his time and energy. Malfoy, however, did have an old charmed DA galleon—the _only_ one linked with the one currently resting in Harry's pocket. He had insisted, refusing to be out of contact with Harry... just in case.

Naturally, Malfoy made it seem like he was doing Harry a favor but it made Harry smile with pleasure anyway. A year ago the blonde probably wouldn't have bothered.

He focused on his notebook again, making cryptic notes about his interview with Kellogg. He didn't know what the tingle of magic meant, nothing was out of place and he had found no spells, charms or hexes used on or near him—or Nick. It was very confusing. He looked up when the car stopped and resisted the urge to place a comforting hand on Nick's arm. The man looked miserable but determined. He got out of the car before his resolve could weaken and he waited on the sidewalk, focusing his attention on the house they were parked in front of.

The house was nice. On the smaller side and well maintained; homey. He couldn't imagine a monster that would do the things he'd seen to be living here but he'd learned long ago never to be fooled by appearances. He absently rubbed at his side, a phantom twinge going through an old scar at the thought, and looked over when Nick joined him on the sidewalk.

"Wait here?" Nick asked, his tone hopeful but mostly resigned to Potter's refusal. He shrugged when Harry shook his head with a regretful expression. It was worth a shot. He started up the walk, again shifting over a step and having Harry quickly fall into step next to him. It was odd how easily the guy adapted to working with a stranger. He wondered if he was that adaptable by nature or that used to working with strangers. He didn't usually get along well with cops that went through partners like tissues.

Harry let Nick lead, watching as he paused with his hand mid-way to his pocket before changing course and raising to knock on the door instead. He felt bad, making the man knock on his own door, but this was official business. He did hope they could clear Monroe as a suspect quickly, though. He found the idea of Nick's friend being involved saddened him, mostly for Nick's sake.

The man that answered the door greeted Nick with a confused smile, obviously confused why Nick would knock in the middle of the day, before looking over at Harry.

Harry resisted the urge to step back a step when he felt magic again, it thrummed sharply this time, though. He saw a faint, almost ghostly, image of a werewolf flicker over Monroe's face and instinctively stuck a protective arm out ever so slightly as he stepped in front of Nick with a half step. His other hand was in his pocket and around his wand before he'd even had his other arm out.

"Detective Harry Potter, sir," he said tightly, keeping a tight rein on his magic only because Nick knew the man and was friends with him. He was praying for a misunderstanding.

Nick stared as Harry reacted to Monroe's woge and swallowed thickly. He blinked stupidly, looking down at the arm still across his chest, when he realized the smaller man had moved to _protect_ him. He nearly snorted at the irony. Well, that answered a few questions but brought up so many more. He pulled his eyes from a very tense Harry Potter, his brain still stuffed with questions and looked at his softly snarling friend.

"Monroe," he said quietly, getting the Blutbad's attention. He raised his eyebrows, waiting for Monroe's face to relax back and gave a soft sigh when it did. "We need to talk, man." He nodded firmly when Monroe gave Potter a wary, questioning look. He patted Harry's arm, grinning when Potter gave him a sheepish look that didn't exactly apologize and lowered his arm. He nearly thought it adorable.

"Yeah, alright," Monroe said. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and gave the dark haired stranger a small, apologetic smile. He hadn't meant to woge on the guy; it was instinctual. Even the guy coming with Nick, a clear sign he wasn't there to hurt him, hadn't been able to stomp the urge out. "I'm sorry," he said with sincerity when he realized the man was still tense and radiating _something_ that made him want to woge again and the hairs on the back of his neck want to stand up. "Come in."

He stepped back and waited until both Detectives were in before closing the door and resting against it. "What's up, Nick? Why are you bringing strange men to my house?" he asked, trying to make it sound like a joke. He'd already teased the Grimm about moving on from Juliette but he didn't seriously consider this visit anything but work for both Detectives.

He looked the smaller man over and nearly raised an eyebrow. Not that he cared how humans did their... mating thing, but he was a bit surprised to catch the faintest hint of _some_ thing that hinted of interest from the stranger before all his senses were blocked. He glanced at Nick and tried not to notice the Grimm checking out the other guy. Weird. But whatever.

Again, he focused on the smaller guy. He wasn't calm _or_ hostile; just alert. He knew the other man was a cop... or something. But he was... different, too. _Nick_ different but not at the same time. He paused when piercing green eyes pinned him with an intense gaze and he pressed himself a bit more firmly against the door, fighting the urge to whimper or show submission to the smaller man. It was... disconcerting.

Nick sighed and walked into the living room, flopping onto the sofa and waving Potter over. "We're here to ask some questions, Monroe."

"Really?" Monroe said, looking between the two. "About what? Man, you know I don't do... _that_ stuff anymore." He gave Nick a pointed look that said 'I _help you_ , you ass'. Nick shrugged helplessly and looked at the other man. He knew he'd said his name but Monroe was drawing a blank; he had still been seething when the guy had introduced himself. Harvey? No. Harold? No. Harry? Maybe... He looked between the Detectives and nodded. It was clear Nick was here officially, even if he didn't agree or _want_ to be. He looked towards the smaller man warily and nodded his understanding. Whatever it was, this guy Potter was leading the show.

Harry stepped into the room but didn't relax yet. He needed a lot more answers before he could do that. He had a lot of questions for the tall man and he didn't know where to start. He stared with something easy -his name- and went from there.

By the time Harry accepted a second cup of tea, Nick was sprawled over the sofa, feeling faint and dimly excited. He was still trying to absorb everything that he had learned in the past hour since practically invading Monroe's home with Potter. "Hold on," he said, raising a hand. He watched as Harry froze almost comically, his mug halfway to his lips, and only Harry's eyes shifted to look at him. "What's a Death Eater again?" He suppressed a shudder; it was a rather descriptive term, really, but it was so morbid.

"A cult, of sorts," Harry said again. He hadn't gone into the exact details; he left out the part about magic. For now. "Their first leader was... killed, but they've regrouped and are trying to do their little 'blood cleansing' thing again."

Monroe whistled softly, shaking his head. "That's some messed up stuff, man. So, I'm guessing they're using Wesen to do their dirty work?" he asked, figuring that was what brought the two Detectives to him. He nearly groaned at Harry's confused but intently interested expression. Shit; he hadn't known about Wesen?

"Wesen? I don't know. Explain that term?" Harry asked, his voice a bit tight with excitement, and set his mug down. He'd explained the case as best he could without mentioning magic or the Wizarding world specifically but he had the feeling he'd be altering that and soon. His notebook was back out, his pen poised and ready. He turned when Nick muttered and shot Monroe a withering look. "What?"

Monroe grimaced and tried to hide his very tall frame in his chair. Shit shit _shit_. "Nothing."

"No, explain what Wesen means, please." Harry said, firmly but politely. It felt important and he wasn't going to just give up. He looked to Nick, cocking his head a bit when he realized the man was sitting stiffly and still glaring darkly at Monroe. There was a sense of authority in that glare that didn't have squat to do with him being a cop and it was intriguing. Well, sexy as fuck but he was being professional right now. "Is this some sort of... supernatural thing?" he asked quietly, a bit hesitant. The twinges of magic he'd felt since apparating here and the strange ghostly werewolf image made a bit more sense, if so. He watched Nick closely, smirking a bit with triumph when the man started, eyes going a bit wide and he looked away. It was interesting to see the man unsettled.

Nick looked away, unsure of what to do. Harry Potter was not the average cop; he wasn't an average _anything_ as far as he could tell. He closed his eyes for a moment and trusted his instincts. "Yes."

 

-=#=-

Harry was scribbling furiously, taking notes as Nick and Monroe talked. The pair traded off the story telling almost as smoothly as the Weasley twins. He listened intently and took notes as he did so. Wesen (he'd started to spell it with a 'v' and had been gently corrected by Nick; ugh, _German_ ) were Human-like creatures; a hybrid of sorts. They were human as much as animal. They were able to 'hide' themselves and look human most of the time. There were a lot of different kinds; he'd lost track at all the various species, making notes to get a list if and when needed. Monroe pointed at Nick and said something about him being a Grimm.

He held up a hand. "You're a Grimm?" Harry asked, turning to Nick. "Like... as in fairy-tales?" he asked seriously.

"Yeah, pretty much," Nick said, watching Harry for any signs of humor or mocking. There weren't any. He took everything they've said in the last 20 minutes the same way; calm, taking almost constant notes -very few of them in the cryptic shorthand, he noticed- and understanding nods. No disbelief. No jokes. Not even a snicker or an eye roll. Even Hank hadn't taken the news so well and he's known him for years. Harry hadn't asked a question until now.

"It's hard to explain... but being a Grimm is something that's been a part of my family. It's just... there. For generations. We can see Wesen... sense them. Fight them. Most Grimms have a reputation of 'kill first- ask questions later'." He shook his head sadly. He could sort of understand the mindset but he couldn't justify just blindly killing anyone that hadn't earned it. He didn't blame most Wesen for being wary or downright defensive around him but he never attacked first.

Monroe nodded. "I nearly killed him the first time we met," he said with a fond chuckle. Harry just squinted at him but he shrugged. It was true. He'd only ever known a Grimm that meant to kill him. Nick was... unique in his sense of fairness and justice. He'd think him naive if he didn't know Nick so well. The man knew how the world worked, he just tried to uphold his own ideals and morals. He looked at Harry closely and his nostrils flared, reminding Harry he'd let his Protego dissipate; he didn't feel in any danger so he didn't bother recasting it. The Blutbad couldn't place the man's scent or any of the more subtle things he sensed.

"So, what are you then?" he asked looking Harry over with interest.

Nick would have normally said something in chastisement for such a rude question but he was curious too. He looked at Harry, his face open and curious, silently pleading for answers.

Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead with a resigned set to his shoulders. Merlin, how did he quickly become such a sucker for wide, blue-grey puppy eyes?

"I'm a wizard."

He felt it fair to share, since the whole Grimm/Wesen thing wasn't exactly well known knowledge. From what he heard, it was as secretive as the Wizarding world. Naturally, some facts had leaked to Muggles but were pawned off as fairy tales and science fiction. If he wanted to justify it, he could probably squint just right and see both men as magical in their own way. They weren't Muggles, that was for sure. He watched as Nick blinked, surprised but with no sign of disbelief. He saw open, amused delight on Monroe's face, the expression making the Blutbad look almost cuddly for a moment.

"A wizard?" Monroe said, his voice tinged with wonder. Harry nodded. "No shit." He laughed with delight and sat back in his chair. "I know this is a bit hypocritical, man, but I always thought wizards were fantasy. Made-up stuff in movies, books and fairy tales you tell kids about before they go to bed."

Harry gave a crooked grin and raised his hands, palms up. "It's true." He looked to Nick to see the man gazing at him curiously.

"Are you not a cop then?" Nick finally asked. Everything else he could ask later, hopefully. He didn't like the idea of some wizard playing cop, though. Not only was it dangerous, it was illegal.

"No, I am," Harry said reassuringly, sensing Nick's anxiousness. "I'm an Auror. Sort of like a cop, but for the Wizarding world. Probably a better comparison to a federal agent for you lot." Harry explained. He was subtly fingering his wand, expecting a request for a demonstration. "We don't usually have to work with Muggles." He chuckled at the twin confused looks. "Non-magical people," he explained.

Monroe laughed with delight again. "Muggles... That's a really weird word, man. Oh! Are dragons real?" he asked, leaning forward in his chair and a look of child-like curiosity on his face.

"Yup," Harry said, grinning. "My adoptive brother actually works with dragons. In Romania." He laughed when Monroe's face went slack with amazement. "Aren't there any dragonesque Wesen?" Nick and Monroe both nodded their heads, both thinking of the Dämonfeuer they'd had an unfortunate run in with, identical expressions of awe and discomfort on their faces. He didn't blame them; not if they were anything like the ones he'd learned about in the Wizarding world. They were rare, Wizards with dragon-creature blood, and they were vicious. He was glad they were rare and kept to themselves, only bothering with the general wizarding population if they happened to have a mate outside of their colonies. "I suppose you wouldn't believe me if I said I flew against a dragon when I was fourteen? Stole an egg from one."

Monroe snickered and waved a dismissive hand. "Sure, sure, of _course_ you did," he snorted and stood, shaking his head as he went into the kitchen. Chuckling sporadically and muttering 'sure, flew against a dragon at 14' as he went.

"You're not kidding," Nick said, looking at Harry. He nodded when Harry slowly shook his head. He couldn't believe it but he definitely knew the man wasn't lying. "Well then. Now I really don't want to know what you did when you were twelve," he said jokingly. He paused when the corners of Harry's lips quirked down and the man looked away for a moment, a dark look flickering over his face.

Harry's lips folded in, resisting the urge to blurt out 'fought a giant snake' and just shrugged. He did not want to come across as bragging and really, it wasn't important to what was going on. "I really would like your help with this, now more than ever. You _know_ this world, you can help me find these people. The Death Eaters... they're using Wesen. I think they're also killing them when they can't use them or when they have no more use for them," he added, holding up his note-book with the crossed out names.

"I'll help," Nick said simply, giving Harry an open look. "I couldn't in good conscience say no." He ignored a strange fluttering when Harry smiled at him, relief and happiness radiating from the man. "Has this happened before?"

Harry shook his head and leaned back into the comfortable sofa as he rubbed a hand over his face and cupped his neck between his palms. "Not that I know of. Any other time, I was able to track everything to another wizard or magical creature. We've got our own sort of Wesen, I suppose you could say. I've known quite a few personally and I try to make sure they aren't villainized," he said quietly, feeling the urge to defend people like Remus, and Monroe, that try to accept their nature but not succumb to the wilder aspects of it. "I never expected something like this..." he trailed of, shaking his head, a brooding expression weighing his face down for a moment. "I'm glad I have a knowledgeable guide," he said and smiled at Nick again, turning it—to a lesser degree—onto Monroe when the man came back in the room. He'd been just as helpful, if not more so since Nick was apparently still learning about Wesen.

"Sure thing, man," Monroe said, nodding. He made a mental note, watching the other two men interact. He looked at one of the many clocks in his house and clicked his tongue. "It's getting late, you guys staying for dinner?" he asked. He knew Nick would but he looked mostly at Harry, extending the invitation. Now that he was sure Harry didn't intend to kill him, or zap him into a newt, he liked the guy. He was funny, in a dry British way, when he wasn't in cop-mode.

Harry sat up and clutched his notebook tightly. "Er. I don't want to impose," he said, fighting the urge to immediately accept but trying to be rational. It seemed like a genuine invitation but he still felt a bit awkward. He didn't really know either of these men but he felt comfortable around them, especially now that he wasn't looking at Monroe as a murder suspect. He tried to squash the sophomoric urge to spend more time around Nick, too. It was quite embarrassing; he just met the man.

"No way, man. I wouldn't ask if it were a problem," Monroe said smiling gently. "I make a mean vegetarian chili," he sing-songed, trying to tempt the wizard. _Wizard_ , he mused with a mental giggle. He nearly burst something to keep himself from asking to see if Harry would show him his wand, realizing it would sound a bit perverted or maybe it might be rude to ask. He got a feeling you didn't go around asking people—uh, wizards—such a thing. Maybe he'll offer later... or he could make Nick ask. He quietly snorted a chuckle at the thought of Nick asking to see Harry's wand. He wondered who would blush harder.

Harry looked between Nick and Monroe, both wearing expectant expressions. "Sure, that'd be nice. Thank you," he accepted with a small smile. He didn't expect a vegetarian Blutbad, learning they were the Wesen equivalent of a werewolf, and it was intriguing as well as a bit funny. Even after knowing the man was 'retired' in a sense. Or Wieder Wesen as Monroe had explained when he first mentioned his status as a non-violent Blutbad.

"Excellent!" Monroe nodded and got up, heading into the kitchen. A few minutes later, the muted sounds of him starting dinner reached the living room.

Harry settled back, feeling slightly awkward. He should be sorting out a hotel or something, not sitting down to dinner with a Blutbad and a Grimm. He nearly rolled his eyes; he got himself into the most bizarre situations. He looked over when Nick shifted on the sofa, giving him an odd look. He hummed softly in acknowledgement.

"Why was Monroe's name on your list? He wouldn't be involved in this."

Harry nodded and scratched his head absently. "I know he wouldn't be." Well, he knew that _now_ , after speaking with the man. "I don't know why, honestly. There were quite a few names. We raided a hide-out but they'd already fled. We found a few notes, maps and disturbingly graphic photos," he said quietly and shuddered. Most of the photos were drawn, more like doodles or plans, but some were actual moving photos. Though, nothing moved in them. "We figured they were compiling a list of possible accomplices." He looked towards the kitchen and sighed. "He's either going to be approached or he's already been dismissed as a possibility if they're aware of his retired status."

"I see," Nick said and rubbed his eyes. "Should I let him know?"

"I would, yeah," Harry said. In either case, Monroe was probably at risk. He didn't know the man well but he feared for his safety. He liked him already and it was hard not to see Remus when he looked at the Blutbad.

Nick studied Harry for a moment and lowered his voice. "How dangerous are these Death Eaters?" It seemed stupid to ask; he saw the pictures. He was mostly asking for more information and he really hoped Harry would share. He and Monroe were involved now and he didn't at all like the idea of going in uninformed.

"You saw the pictures, Nick. They're capable of that and much, _much_ worse. These are Dark Wizards. They use their magic in evil, terrible ways. For evil, terrible purposes," Harry said seriously, keeping his own voice quiet. He didn't know how well a Blutbad could hear, but if it was anywhere near as keen as Remus' had been, they'd have to leave the house to not be heard but he indulged Nick. Or cast a privacy ward. Mostly, he didn't want to hide information from Monroe. He was in this as much as he and Nick.

He swallowed thickly and studied his lap. He felt he owed the man the truth, as much as he didn't want to admit it aloud. "I killed their leader once and if I find the new one, I'll do it again."

Nick studied Harry again, trying to see him as a killer and it was at once impossible and hard to deny. He radiated a strong aura but he was so... small. Short, skinny. You wouldn't think he could do much but give you a slight sting should he hit you. He felt a sense of deep regret and shame radiating off the wizard and he couldn't help humming softly in understanding, having a very good idea how the man felt. He had to kill on occasion and he never got used to it, no matter how justified it was.

"Alright," he said quietly. He tried to give a reassuring smile when Harry peeked up at him, gauging his true reaction. He didn't know what else to say, though. He struggled for reassuring words. 'Hey, we all murder a bad guy now and then' just sounded... insufficient. "Do you know who it is?" he asked instead.

"Not yet," Harry said, his voice tight with anger and frustration. For every Death Eater they captured, none of the bastards would talk. Torture wasn't Ministry approved, not that many Aurors had the stomach or thirst for it. Threats didn't work; they'd just laugh and not utter a single word. Veritaserum didn't work, either; whenever they'd administer the potion, the prisoner went into seizure like spasms and were dead in seconds. None of them really mourned the loss but they never got answers, either. It was frustrating. "I have my suspicions, but without proof I can't do much."

Nick nodded. He knew that hell very well. It was one of the perks of being a Grimm; he was the top. As long as he worked inside the law, he didn't have to answer to anyone else. "Captain Renard. He can help with this too," he said meaningfully. He saw Harry nod slowly, understanding.

"Who else is in on your... secret?" Harry asked, intrigued.

Nick sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "My partner, Hank. My ex, but she ran as far and as fast as she could from all of this," he said stiffly, trying to ignore and bury the brief pang of regret, anger and pain. "Monroe's girlfriend, Rosalee. She helps me a lot, too."

"Are any of them Wesen?" Harry asked, mostly just out of curiosity. He didn't have any real problem working with them. It was really the only way to keep himself from asking about Nick's runaway ex. It was obviously still rather painful for him. He subtly sat on his hand so it wouldn't reach out on its own.

Nick fought the urge to chew the inside of his cheek and nodded. "Captain Renard. He's... complicated. Rosalee, too. She's a Fuchsbau," he tried not to smile when Harry's notebook came back out, only seeing a head of messy black hair and hearing the furious scratch of a pen again. "A Fuchsbau is a sort of fox-like Wesen," he explained, watching as Harry made notes. He smiled at the fox doodle at the bottom of the page.

"That explains the strange code we found next to the names," Harry murmured before looking up, a flicker of excitement going through his expression. At Nick's confused look, he sat forward. "Next to each name, there were seemingly random symbols. We only were able to figure out the symbols were coded letters. Monroe had a 'B'."

Nick's eyebrows rose in understanding. "Was Rosalee on your list?"

"Yeah," Harry said softly. He didn't really have to check it anymore, he memorized that list by now. "I remembered seeing an 'F' next to her name and that's when everything clicked into place. I'm sorry," he added, noticing Nick's crestfallen expression. He looked up, not at all surprised when Monroe came in the room, his eyes darting between him and Nick as he wiped his hands on a dishtowel. "I would tell her, as well," he said to the Blutbad, not at all surprised to see him looking concerned.

Monroe nodded, impressed and grateful Harry didn't try to exclude him, leaving the room again as he pulled his phone from his pocket. "I'm calling her now. She's joining us for dinner." He didn't care about secret Grimm or magic shit, he wanted Rosalee here where he knew she'd be safe. He didn't see the nasty pictures and only got a vague idea what Harry was involved in, but if it made Nick wince, it had to be bad.

"I'm sorry," Harry said again, covering his face with his hands for a second and giving Nick a sincere look of apology. "I really wish you lot weren't involved in all this."

Nick waved a hand, shrugging one shoulder and giving a small smile. "It's not exactly a rare occurrence," he said, trying to make light. "Really," he stressed, bumping his shoulder into Harry's when the wizard only gave him a miserable look. "I'm a Grimm, I deal with this sort of thing almost daily. They aren't strangers to this sort of thing, either."

"Not Dark Wizards," Harry muttered.

Nick made a tsking sound and shook his head. "Well, no," he said slowly, agreeing. "But they aren't exactly innocent either. Like I said, they've helped me in the past. A lot. I don't like involving them but they're able to handle themselves."

"Still..." Harry muttered, staring off. He hated involving civilians in a case, especially if it could be avoided. He could agree that there wasn't really a choice with this one, he needed all of their help. What Nick didn't know about Wesen, Monroe did. Rosalee was already involved because her name was on the damn list. He tried not to shy away when Nick scooted closer. Obviously the man wasn't trying to do anything untoward. He looked up when Monroe came in the room.

Monroe stared at the Detectives for a moment. "Uh, dinner's done but I—" He paused and walked over to the door just as someone knocked on it. "Hey, Rosalee," he said with a smile once the door was open. "Just in time." He pulled her into a brief, tight hug and kissed her cheek.

Harry watched as a young woman walked in, smiling warmly at Monroe as she walked past. She probably was an inch or so taller than him, soft brown hair was pulled back from a heart shaped, kind face. He blinked when her smile didn't dim in the least when she looked at him. He looked at Monroe, wondering if the man had forgotten to mention who, and what, he was.

"Hullo," he said, nodding politely.

"Hi," Rosalee said and walked over. A hint of wariness tightened her posture slightly but she didn't woge, quelling the urge with a deep breath. "You're Harry, right?" Harry nodded and she stuck her hand out. "Rosalee," she said.

He wasn't nearly as scary as a Grimm but there was still something about him that made her want to back up and her teeth itch. She wasn't nearly as excited about the man being a wizard as Monroe appeared to be. He was nice, though. And cute. Didn't try to intimidate her or whip out a wand to turn her into a frog or something so she relaxed as best she could. She tried not to sigh with relief when Monroe announced dinner and made her way into the kitchen.

"So, you're here for a case?" she asked Harry, sliding into a chair and giving a smile of thanks when Monroe filled her wine glass. She tried not to glug it, her heart-rate and nerves still settling.

"Yeah," Harry said, fidgeting slightly with indecision. He didn't know where to sit. He waited until everyone else sat and took the remaining chair next to Nick. "I, erm, followed a lead here— Oh, no thanks," he said when Monroe went to pour him wine as well. He pulled a small, half filled, potion vial from his pocket and gave a sheepish smile. "Alcohol doesn't mix well with this," he said and wiggled the vial a bit. The liquid was the consistency of maple syrup, a pretty shade of light green and had an iridescent sheen to it. He was grateful it didn't taste horrendous, like most potions did. It almost seemed like some sort of requirement to make the most essential potions the vilest.

Rosalee eyed the vial with interest. "Is that a potion?" Harry nodded. "What's it for?" she asked. She nearly retracted her question, an apology on the tip of her tongue, when Harry looked uncomfortable.

"It's partly for healing and partly what would be equivalent to an antibiotic." He tipped four drops into his water, trying to ignore three very interested sets of eyes on him, and emptied the glass in four, long gulps. He tried not to fidget as his knee tingled with sudden heat for a few seconds as the potion kicked in. He probably would never get used to that sensation...

"Thank you," he said quietly when Monroe was the first to stop staring and dished him a healthy portion of chili. He inhaled the spicy steam coming off of the food and his eyes drifted closed in pleasure. "Smells amazing," he complimented and smiled.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I used the Grimm Wiki for these, so it's more accurate than anything I'd pull outta my head. Feel free to ask any questions or hunt around the fun world of Grimm Wiki on your own. (If any Grimm fans need some insight on the Harry Potter lingo, just ask and I'll be happy to add those in, too.)_
> 
> __**Grimms** are several families of special people, warriors and hunters, who possess incredible powers, such as being able to see the true form of Wesen even when the Wesen don't want them to. For centuries they have placed it upon themselves to police and hunt the Wesen population, to protect normal humans from the unknown threat around them._ _
> 
> __**Wesen** (pronunciation: VAY-zin, Grimm: VES-sin; Germ. "a being", here "creature") is a term used to describe the creatures visible to the Grimms. They are the basis not only of the fairy tales that the Brothers Grimm have compiled, but also of the many legends and folklore from many cultures. Wesen are liminal, that is, they display two states of existence simultaneous within one physical body. Physiologically, Wesen are parahuman, exhibiting two distinct sets of DNA within the same system. When in human form, Wesen are, by all accounts, physiologically that way and thus can pass as human._ _
> 
> __**Woge** (VOH-gə; derived from the German verb wogen "to surge"), named from the psychological impulse that drives it, refers to the act of changing between human and Wesen form. As Woge is impulse-driven, a dead Wesen will woge back (or "retract") into human form. Likewise, a Wesen tends to enter Woge once they perceive something as a threat come close to their vicinity._ _
> 
> __**Blutbad** (plural: Blutbaden; pronunciation: BLOOT-baat, BLOOT-baad in Grimm; Germ. Blut "blood" + Bad "bath") is a wolf-like Wesen that is basis of the fairy tale character of the Big Bad Wolf. They are among the more prolific races of Wesen in the show._ _
> 
> __**Dämonfeuer** ('alternate spelling Daemonfeuer; pl. Dämonfeuer; DAY-mon-foy-ər (Grimm: DAY-muhn-fyoo-ər); Germ. Dämon "demon" + Feuer "fire") is a dragon-like creature able to breathe fire and are among the rarer species of Wesen. They are renowned as dangerous and powerful, so much so that even Blutbaden fear them. They are also one of a very small number of Wesen who don't fear Grimms, nor do they seem to despise them._ _
> 
> __**Fuchsbau** (pronunciation: FOOKHS-bow, Grimm: FOOKS-bow; Germ. "fox hole" or "burrow") is a fox-like Wesen known for being extremely sly and cunning._ _
> 
> __**Mauzhertz** (pronunciation: MOWTS-hairts, Grimm: MOWZ-hurts; Germ. Maus "mouse" + Herz "heart") is a mouse-like Wesen that are harmless and shy.)_ _


	2. Chapter 2

Nick sat back in his chair and patted his belly with a self satisfied hum. He glanced at Harry and smiled when he noticed the wizard was practically licking his bowl out, aided by a thick slice of corn bread. The man ate like he never had a decent meal before. He frowned slightly and tried to get rid of the thought. He didn't exactly know the man and trying to analyze him wasn't cool.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Monroe said as he watched Harry scrap the bowl clean with the side of his fork. He laughed when Harry flushed and carefully put down the utensil. "There's more..."

Harry looked towards the pot and shook his head sadly. "No, it was brilliant but I think any more and I'd explode." He grinned at patted his stomach. He'd already had two servings and he was almost uncomfortably full. But it was so good and he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a nice, home-cooked meal. He rarely bothered when on his own. "Thank you for having me."

"No problem, man," Monroe said sincerely and clapped Harry's shoulder. He nearly shook his head. It was only dinner; Harry made it sound like such a big deal. He pursed his lips thoughtfully; maybe it was to the wizard but he didn't mind. "Where are you staying while in town?" he asked, getting up and gathering dishes. He waved a hand at Harry, dismissing his help when the wizard went to stand and help. "I got it. Relax."

Harry slowly sat back down and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Uhm... I haven't had a chance to look. Is there somewhere near the station?" he turned to asked Nick. He felt a bit stupid he hadn't checked earlier, but he had been distracted. He didn't know the area at all. He raised an eyebrow when Nick squirmed a bit.

"Not really," Nick muttered. He ignored the scrutiny he could feel coming from Monroe and Rosalee and gave a casual shrug of his shoulder. "You could stay with me, if you want. I've got plenty of room." He didn't know why he offered but he wasn't going to take it back. Now that he'd asked, he quite liked the idea.

Monroe snickered. "Dude. No, I don't."

" _I_ do," Nick stressed, making it clear he meant his own house. Like he'd be rude enough to just offer up Monroe's place; he nearly rolled his eyes. He smirked as Monroe looked at him incredulously. He expected, to some extent, that reaction since he had barely been home since Juliette left; he'd even considered selling the place. He didn't blame the _Blutbad_ for being shocked but it made Harry shift awkwardly and fidget, probably misunderstanding Monroe's reaction. "I have a spare room and I'm not too far from the station, either."

Harry squirmed, fighting warring urges. One said 'hell no! You'll go insane!' and the other was gibbering gleefully and drooling at the possibilities. Ugh, it was very tempting either way. He knew it would be easier for the case but his libido was a whole other story. "Uh..."

"Really," Nick said reassuringly and patted Harry's arm. "I don't mind." It was as close as he was going to get to offering again or begging. He _could_ have pointed out a nice hotel or two but he didn't like the idea of Harry out on his own. Sure, the guy could probably take care of himself well enough, but it just didn't feel right. Also, he rationalized, it would be easier to compare notes and chase down information; work was always a very good, rational reason.

Harry fidgeted some more and sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "Alright. Thank you, I really appreciate it." He gave a small, crooked smile as he viciously squashed the victorious inner voice whooping it up and making inappropriate moaning-grunting sounds.

"Can I ask more about potions?" Rosalee said suddenly. She'd been trying to suppress her curiosity but she couldn't any longer. How similar were Wesen and Wizarding potions? It was fascinating. Plus, as adorable as his shy awkward smile was, it looked like Harry could used the distraction. Harry nodded, the smile slipping quickly from his face. She mourned the loss for a moment (he had a really nice smile) and took a deep breath. "I run an apothecary, so potions interest me," she explained.

Harry blinked and offered a small smile. "I was never good at potions. Loathed it in school, the professor was a right git. Blew up or melted my cauldron more often than not..." He fished a different vial out of another pocket and handed it to Rosalee. He noted the keen interest as she took it and handled the vial with utmost care. "That—" he said and nodded to the vial she held carefully, "is Veritaserum. The only potion I can brew." He always found it ironic but didn't complain. It was really the only one he needed to know as an Auror and coincidentally one of the hardest to brew; the irony still tickled him and usually made Malfoy grumble and sneer. That tickled him, too.

"What does it do?" Rosalee asked, turning the vial carefully. She had an idea, the name alone gave a hint. She sniffed the vial but smelled nothing. It was as clear as distilled water, too. She watched it slid around the vial in a slick wave, the consistency somewhere between a thin syrup and water.

Harry's grin was sharp. "Three little drops is all it takes. Forces the drinker to speak the truth. It's nearly impossible to fight the effects, though people try. But it's obvious when they do," Harry explained, grinning when Nick looked over at him with an impressed look. "There isn't a known antidote or counter-active agent, thankfully. Wears off in about an hour, usually. It's illegal to administer without consent, though."

Rosalee looked over the vial again. "I'm getting the feeling there's more to this than just brewing," she said. "Does it require magic to make?" she asked, looking up at Harry with curiosity. A truth potion would be very valuable to have. The best she could do with her current recipes, a truth potion had to be brewed for a specific type of Wesen.

"Not really," Harry said, shifting a bit. He was still a little uncomfortable discussing magic with them. "Some of the ingredients are nearly impossible to find without magic, or only available in the Wizarding community, but the brewing itself is relatively straightforward, otherwise." He smiled when Rosalee hummed and went back to studying the vial. It was odd to talk about such things with near-Muggles, but sort of nice, too. He hated the constant lying and keeping his guard up on the occasions he had to be around Muggles. It was exhausting for any length of time.

He expected more questions about the potion he'd taken earlier and was grateful no one asked more about. He wasn't embarrassed so much as wary of it being seen as something to exploit. He hated to think it of the people gathered around him. They had all been nothing but kind, but some habits were hard to break. He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

Monroe stood and filled the kettle. "Tea?" he got two nods and a blank stare from Nick. He rolled his eyes. "Get your own beer, man." Nick chuckled and loped over to the fridge, plopping back into his chair with a quiet huff as he popped the beer open. "I got herbal and..." he trailed off, looking through the jumble of tea bags, "regular and Earl grey."

"Earl grey is fine," Harry said with a chuckle. He was tempted to wave his wand around and make the tea for Monroe, but he wasn't quite ready to blatantly do magic just yet. Plus, he had never mastered conjuring tea and it usually tasted a bit off.

Monroe got everything ready and after he got the kettle on the burner, he leaned against the counter, his arms and ankles crossed casually. "So, what about that list you guys were talking about? Why were we on it?"

"I don't really know," Harry said apologetically. "I'm sure that neither of you are involved, though." He noticed both of them relax a bit more as they nodded. Like he'd be this calm and friendly if they'd still be under suspicion? He nearly chuckled. "Have either of you noticed anyone... weird about?" he asked, looking between Monroe and Rosalee.

Monroe shrugged as he shook his head but Rosalee nodded slowly. "Yes, the past week or so, strange men have been coming into the shop."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Monroe and Nick asked at the same time, both with pinched brows and protective postures.

Rosalee smiled a little. "They only looked around, really nothing worth mentioning until now," she said with forced patience as Monroe and Nick both glared lightly at her. She knew they were both just being protective, it was quite endearing really, but she wasn't helpless or stupid. She hadn't given them much thought until Harry had asked. "They haven't even approached me. But... I felt one of them watching me, once." She ignored the twin frowns coming from Monroe and Nick and focused on Harry. He looked a bit concerned, which was sweet, but he just nodded slowly and gave her his attention.

"What did they look like?"

Rosalee shrugged. "Average, ordinary people, really. Nothing all that remarkable comes to mind. I knew they weren't Wesen, so I just assumed they'd found the shop at random and were looking around. It happens." She noticed Harry taking out a notebook and wished she had more information for the wizard. "One was blonde, dirty blonde, nothing striking about him. The other was sort of... vague."

"Vague? How so?" Harry asked, leaning forward. He nodded a 'thank you' when Monroe set a steaming mug by his hand. Vague could mean a distortion charm or a glamour. It would make identification a bitch, which was beyond frustrating, but then he would know he was dealing with wizards.

Rosalee waved a hand around in small circles. "Vague like when I looked at him, my eyes just skipped over him. I couldn't really _look_ at him. I got a real sense of 'don't notice me'..." she trailed off, thinking. She hadn't remembered that until mentioning it. She looked back at Harry with interest, truly intrigued at just what a wizard could do with magic. It was unsettling as well as fascinating.

"How were they dressed?"

Rosalee blinked, her mouth opening twice before a small frown pinched her face. "Kind of strange, now that you mention it. One guy was wearing a full three piece suit, right down to a tie and pocket square. And the other, looked like a lumberjack, like right out of a comedy show. He even had the boots." She glared lightly when Monroe laughed.

"I bet," Harry said and chuckled. "Wizards don't know how to dress like a Muggle. Especially pure-bloods." When he only got confused looks, he chuckled again and briefly explained. "Pure-bloods are old family wizards. Generally, generations upon generations of inter-breeding to keep their magic 'pure'," he said and made slightly sarcastic air quotes. "They avoid Muggles and their world like the plague." He paused while understanding lit their faces. He nodded. "It's all very elitist. Pure-bloods are a rather small percentage of the Wizarding world, though, oddly enough. But they tend to be old and extremely wealthy."

Harry paused for a moment, absently rubbing his knee. "I'm a half-blood. My father was pure-blooded but my mum was a Muggleborn. No one knows why a Muggle can have a magical child, usually out of nowhere, but their magic isn't any less pure or powerful than a pure-blood's or even a half-blood's. One of my best friends is a Muggleborn and she's one of the most powerful witches I know."

Nick nodded, still a bit confused. He pretty much got the gist of what Harry said, though. "I don't get how they can't manage to dress properly."

"Well, wizards, we have our own world. A secret world, I suppose you could say. Our own cultures, traditions— all that rubbish. Generally, wizards don't mix with Muggles. So, they're quite ignorant of the Muggle world. That includes how you lot dress." Harry grinned and pulled out his wallet. He passed a small booklet of photos to Nick, laughing with delight when Nick nearly dropped them when he saw the pictures moving. He smiled, catching sight of Ron and Hermione waving cheerily up from the first photo. Monroe hurried to look over Nick's shoulder and Rosalee leaned over enough to see as well, both of their mouths dropping open with shock.

"Sorry, should'a warned you our pictures move. You know. Magic," he said with a wink. As Nick thumbed slowly through the pictures, his eyes still wide and amazed at the moving images, he commented on each picture. "That's Bill Weasley's wedding, a family friend. Notice the robes?" They all nodded. "That's what wizards wear. It's all very traditional."

Nick pointed to the dress-like robe. " _That_?" Harry nodded, grinning. "All the time?" He looked up at Harry long enough to see him smile and nod again. He studied the clothing again. Very weird, very medieval looking. He could sort of understand how a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt would be strange to a culture that wore capes and robes all the time. Still; weird. He couldn't imagine chasing a suspect wearing what basically amounted to a dress.

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Those are dress robes, a bit more posh for special occasions, but that's it." He watched as Nick thumbed through the pictures, feeling a bit hasty in passing them over now. He hadn't really thought it through he realized as unease prickled through him. They were private. He squashed the urge to snatch the pictures back, though.

Nick paused when he came to Teddy's picture. His hair was bright blue and he was missing a few teeth in his wide, happy grin. He smiled back automatically, unable to stop the impulse even if he'd wanted to.

Harry felt a pang and warmth worm through him as Teddy waved and then broke down into giggles. "That's my godson, Teddy. He'll be twelve next month," he said softly. He hadn't seen the little boy in about a few months and he missed him terribly. Teddy was wearing Muggle jeans and a t-shirt, his godson preferring the Muggle style Harry had introduced him to when he was very young. Andromeda subtly rolled her eyes whenever the pair wore the garments but she didn't forbid it, only stressed robes would be worn when appropriate.

Nick pointed to an old photo that was tucked in the back. He looked at the couple smiling and waving at the camera. The woman was pretty, long red hair practically shined even in the old picture, and the man looked a lot like Harry, right down to the messy black hair. "Your parents?" he asked. He looked up and frowned at the sad, pained expression on the wizards face. Realization dawned and he leaned forward, feeling like an ass for bringing it up and sympathy. "I'm sorry," he said quietly and gently laid a hand on Harry's shoulder, giving it a soft, comforting squeeze. He wanted to ask more but didn't, knowing it wasn't the time, since he knew the feeling of pan and loss never really went away.

"Yeah," Harry said after a moment, clearing his throat softly. "It's... yes."

Nick nodded again and slowly closed the photo booklet, handing it back to Harry. "I see what you mean though." He had a feeling that quite a few more people in those pictures were dead. Most were old and worn, the images moving a bit slowly. "So, we can spot a wizard by looking for guys dressed badly?" he asked, hoping to lighten the mood. And he was half-serious, too. It seemed like a good way to spot them.

"Yeah," Harry said, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a half-smile. "Pretty much."

Rosalee reached across the table and took Harry's hand in both of hers, squeezing gently. "I'm sorry about your parents, Harry." She didn't feel as awkward as Nick or Monroe seemed to about saying it, and it probably had little to do with just meeting the wizard. _Men_ , she thought with a mental eye roll. Harry was studying the table or he would've seen Nick's expression of shared pain, which was probably only showing because no one else was looking at him. She barely knew Harry but her heart went out to him. She lost her father and it was devastating; she couldn't imagine the pain of losing both of her parents.

She smiled softly when Harry nodded his thanks, eyes blinking slightly more frequently. She patted his hand and leaned back. "Should I be concerned with these men coming in my shop?"

"Probably," Harry said hoarsely. He cleared his throat again. "I don't know what their intentions are. I don't know how long they wait before approaching someone, I don't know what they're looking for..." he trailed off and fisted his hands in his hair, yanking it in frustration. "I don't even know why they're working with Wesen." He didn't know anything, other than they were leaving a trail of dead bodies. It was beyond frustrating.

Rosalee made a sympathetic sound and sipped her tea. "You're welcome to come by my shop and wait for them. Maybe you can get some answers."

"Alright, thank you," Harry said sincerely, giving Rosalee a small smile. "I don't think it'll be very helpful though," he sighed after thinking it over for a few moments. "I'll probably stick out like a sore thumb," he said, slight bitterness in his voice. Not only was he well recognized in the Wizarding world, he could only dampen his magic for so long. Any Death Eater would be able to recognize his face and magical signature easily enough within seconds.

Monroe gave Harry a calculating look. "One of us could do it," he said, pointing slightly at each of the men. "I mean, I'd feel better if Rosalee wasn't stuck alone in her shop with those guys." He frequently spent hours in the shop with Rosalee and had no problems doing it more often. He bristled slightly, his eyes flashing red, when he realized those men had been there when he hadn't been. Was that deliberate or just good timing for them?

"Maybe," Harry said, not at all convinced. He didn't want anyone else involved if he could help it. Nick would be busy with his work and helping him and that would leave Monroe. "I'll see what sort of information I can gather first, yeah?"

Monroe shrugged but sent Nick a meaningful look that had the Grimm nodding subtly. Nick couldn't, and wouldn't, even think of trying to keep Monroe away. He didn't blame the Blutbad either. He wouldn't like the idea one bit if their roles were reversed. "Anything else you can tell us?" Monroe asked, leaning casually against the counter again.

"Not really," Harry said honestly. "I don't know much about their activities over here yet. As horrible as it sounds, I probably won't know more until there's another body."

Nick grimaced. "You can't track them someway? With your—" He waved a hand, "magic?"

"Usually, yeah. But... no," Harry said, slightly amused despite himself and the situation. "They don't appear to be using magic so much as exploiting Wesen. It really wouldn't surprise me if that's one of the reasons for them to be using them. For me to track them, I have to know who they are or what they're doing." If he had a 'who' he might get lucky with a strong _Point Me_. A what and he could use any number of detecting spells. "I can only continue down the list and hope for the best," he muttered morosely.

Monroe and Nick shared another look. Nick stood and tossed his empty bottle into the trash. "Well, on that ever so pleasant note, I think we're gonna call it a night," he got a nod from Harry and watched as the wizard stood. "Night Monroe, Rosalee," he nodded at them.

He wasn't exactly ready to sleep but he had been cramping Monroe and Rosalee's relationship enough the past few weeks, he owed them a night without him lurking about. Plus it gave him that much more motivation to leave and finally go home. He gave a cheery wave and made his way outside, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Nick turned when Harry caught up with him. "Sorry, I just wanted to give them some 'couple time'."

"S'alright," Harry murmured. He was no stranger to doing that, having done the same thing for many of his friends—many times. Mostly it was to save himself from feeling like an awkward third wheel. "No need to explain." He smiled and looked up at the sky, a little amazed to notice the stars were in a subtly different location than he was used to. Somehow, it really solidified the fact he wasn't home. He was half-way around the world chasing rogue Death Eaters that managed to invade three different 'worlds'.

He sighed and rubbed a kink out of the back of his neck with a slightly chilled hand. "Where to?" he asked, still looking up.

Nick glanced at Harry and looked away after a moment, Harry's lost expression making him surprisingly uncomfortable. It made him want to wrap a comforting arm around his slim shoulders. He shook his head and they made their way to his house. He tried to ignore Harry's tense posture once they were in the car, but it was hard. "So," he said, breaking the mostly comfortable silence. "Is this your first time here?"

"Portland or the States?" Harry asked, amused despite the fact he was close to hyperventilating.

Nick chuckled. "Both?"

"Yes and yes. I've really never been anywhere but home and school." He looked around as if surveying the entire country from the passenger side window. "So far, it seems nice." If he'd been here for vacation or just to travel, he'd most likely enjoy it a lot more. As it was, he hadn't taken the time to notice his surroundings so much.

"Portland or the States?"

"Both," Harry said, shaking his head as he laughed. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "I don't like how this is starting out," he said quietly.

Nick silently agreed and just focused on driving home. Thankfully, they weren't far away. As he pulled in front of his house, he looked it over. It was dark and lonely looking. He sighed and got out, not really looking forward to going in. It was going to be obvious he hadn't been there in awhile. He silently opened the door, not all that surprised Harry was right behind him. He closed the door and looked around. He clicked on the nearest lamp and raised his arms a bit.

"Well, make yourself comfortable," he said. He watched as Harry warily shuffled into the living room and perched, rigidly, on the edge of the sofa. He snorted quietly; if that was Harry being comfortable he really didn't want to see him sense or uptight. "Want anything to drink?"

"What do you have?" Harry asked, trying not to smirk. It was obvious no one had been in the house for some time. A thin layer of dust covered nearly every surface and the house smelled... stale. He quirked an eyebrow when Nick flushed, a hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Whatever you have is fine," he said when he realized Nick probably didn't know what was in the house. He felt a bit bad, really.

Nick nodded and tried not to hurry into the kitchen too quickly. He didn't know what he had and he was a little scared to check the fridge. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and he leaned back a bit to survey the room, unsure what caused the reaction. He gaped when he saw Harry standing, a stick in his hand as he slowly turned in a circle. He didn't know what the wizard was doing but after watching for a few minutes, it didn't seem anything harmful. He shook his head and looked through his cabinets, relieved he had a half-emtpy box of tea bags. He filled a mug from the faucet, stuck it in the microwave and took out a beer for himself, silently sighing with relief nothing in the fridge tried to kill him.

He made a mental note to empty it later.

Wearing a haz-mat suit.

He jumped slightly when the microwave beeped and plunked a tea bag in, watching it sink into the heated water before bringing the mug out to Harry. "What were you doing?" 

"Cleaning," Harry said with a sheepish look. "And put up some wards," he added carefully. "I... well, I don't sleep well otherwise." He absently dunked the teabag as he looked around the room.

The cleaning charm should be through the whole house by now and he took a short inhale and nearly smiled at the light lavender scent it left behind. It always reminded him of Andromeda. She'd been quite proud to teach Harry a few household charms, obviously pleased with herself for knowing them. He didn't blame her, the woman had grown up with several house-elves, it was a wonder she knew how to do anything herself, really. Most pure-bloods, or any wizard with a house-elf really, couldn't even figure out how to make their own tea.

Nick nodded, having a slight understanding what a ward was. "Yeah, okay. Thanks," he said and grinned. "What does it... do?"

"It's sort of complicated," Harry said slowly. "Wards vary greatly. I only cast a few simple ones to alert me of anyone that gets close to the house and to keep certain people out."

Nick nodded, that was handy. He was slightly disgruntled the wards weren't connected to him but he had no idea if Harry could do that. "Who?"

"Everyone but you, Monroe, Rosalee and myself. I assumed they were trusted and safe to allow."

Nick nodded. "Yeah, totally. How can you do that though? Can you allow someone you haven't met?" he asked, thinking of Hank. He didn't like the idea of his partner not being able to enter his house. "And what happens if someone gets close that shouldn't?"

"It's really hard to explain... wards are tricky. I can't really explain it simply," Harry said apologetically. It took him years to be able to perfect the more complex wards and it would probably take that long to successfully explain them completely. "And no, I have to have met someone to be able to recognize them. So, if there's someone else you'd like added, just let me know," he said, flushing lightly as he rubbed his hands along the tops of his thighs. He hadn't realized until now just what sort of liberty he'd just taken. He didn't think about casting wards anymore, it was as natural a reflex as blinking. "I'm sorry, I should have asked before I did that."

Nick slowly let his breath out and gave Harry a small smile. "No. Well, yeah, but it's fine. I can get why you did. I'd probably do it like breathing if I could." He blinked when Harry beamed a smile at him. He didn't know what he said to cause such a reaction but he smiled back. "So, what happens to someone that gets close that shouldn't?" he asked again, wondering if Harry ignored the question on purpose.

"It depends on their intent," Harry started slowly. "Someone looking to come in for anything more than a friendly hello will be subject to burns and probably some nerve damage..." he trailed off. And that was a mild reaction. He didn't feel an ounce of guilt using the Darker wards he'd found in one of the Black family books. The wards wouldn't harm someone innocent.

Nick gaped. He hadn't expected something so... extreme. He couldn't find it in himself to be upset though. He'd had enough Wesen breaking into his home and trying to kill him, he wouldn't mind a bit of preemptive payback. "Oh."

"That's part of what makes wards so complicated. They can sense magic and intent and all that. And before you ask, no, it's not at all possible to confuse or fool the wards."

Nick nodded, oddly feeling relieved and a sense of peace settle over him. It had been awhile since he felt this safe anywhere, let alone the house nearly every Wesen seemed to know about. He tried to forget that was one of the reasons he'd been dumped. "Thanks," he said sincerely. "Its nice to know I've got the best security system out there." He smiled, settling himself more comfortably.

"You're welcome," Harry said and fought a blush, looking away from the smile. He hoped his thumping heart wasn't as loud as it sounded to him. He focused on taking the teabag from his mug, vanishing the soggy thing out of habit. He looked up when he heard a soft gasp. "Sorry, I keep forgetting—"

Nick shook his head and raised a hand. "No, it's cool. I'm just still getting used to... magic, that's all. Don't hold yourself back on my account." He cocked his head, adorably in Harry's opinion, and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Will it like hurt or something if you hold it in?" he asked. Obviously, the wizard didn't constantly use magic but he wondered if there were side-effects from suppressing it for long periods.

"What? My magic?" Harry asked. Nick nodded. "No, not really. It doesn't exactly build up, so to speak. I could go quite some time without using magic with no side-effects whatsoever. I didn't even know I could do magic until I was eleven." He nodded at Nick's wide-eyed gape. "I had bursts of accidental magic growing up but I had no idea what it was, other than me being a freak like—" he cleared his throat, blushing furiously.

He hadn't meant to say that part; he'd almost mentioned his relatives and he didn't do that anymore. He hoped Nick hadn't caught it but the narrowed eyes on the Detective told Harry he had. He hurriedly continued, hopefully letting Nick know, subtly, he didn't want to discuss that part. "I had just turned eleven and this massive man came and told me I was a wizard."

Nick watched as Harry blushed, squirmed and then smiled, obviously enjoying the memory of the massive man or at the memory of being told he was a wizard. He couldn't imagine any kid not being beside themselves if they got that kinda news. "I see. Wow..." he trailed off, thinking. He was still fuming silently about the 'freak' comment. What sort of people called a little kid a freak?

He looked up. "Wait. Why eleven?" It seemed like such an odd age.

"I think it's something to do with maturity of your magic or magical core. Hogwarts, the school I went to to learn magic, doesn't start until age eleven. So, if you're a Muggleborn, you get your acceptance letter and then you know about magic. It's quite a shock to any Muggleborn, let me tell you."

He smiled, remembering having similar conversations with every first-year Muggleborn that he asked. Technically, he was a half-blood but considered himself a Muggleborn since he was raised by Muggles. Magic hating Muggles that told him nothing of his heritage or of magic. He went in just as ignorant as any other Muggleborn.

"I know it doesn't make much sense, but that's how it was. A complete surprise one day. I still tend to lose control of my magic in extreme moments... but I have never harmed anyone," he hurried to add, not wanting Nick to be afraid or wary of him or his magic. So far, his magic has only lashed out protectively. "One of my old professors likened it to wandless magic."

Nick blinked, trying to absorb everything. It was rather adorable how chatty Harry had become, even if only half of what the wizard said made any sense to him. "Wandless magic? I'm guessing that's not common."

"No," Harry said and flushed, giving a sheepish smile. Nick tried not to react. "It's not common," he muttered, trying to ignore the feeling of being a 'freak' again. "Most wizards and witches need a wand to channel the magic in their bodies. Even with training, it's not usually possible."

Nick grinned. "But you can." He felt pride for some odd reason. It wasn't like _he_ could do it. He chuckled at the embarrassed look on Harry's face, not quite understanding it wasn't something the wizard was proud of.

Harry looked away and tried not to scowl. Nick didn't know he was the Sodding-Boy-Who-Lived or The Savior-of-the-Wizarding-World, or any other ridiculous, hyphenated, annoying nickname people gave him, so he tried not to react like he normally would. Nick just was reacting to what he had just said, for fuck's sake. "Sometimes."

"Cool," Nick said, his smile dimming. He had obviously upset the wizard but he didn't have a clue how. Was he embarrassed he could do something others couldn't? Was he pissed he'd told Nick something that should probably be a secret? He cleared his throat quietly. "Well, it's kinda late. I go in pretty early..." he said, checking the time. He nearly goggled, he hadn't realized it was almost 1 AM.

Harry nodded and stood, stretching a bit. He was starting to feel a bit droopy himself, it had been a long, draining day. "Alright." He followed Nick up the stairs, firmly casting his eyes down to his feet on the steps to avoid looking at Nick's arse. He peeked, only twice though and mentally congratulated himself on his self control when he didn't reach out at any point. He looked up when Nick stopped in front of a door. "Thanks again, for the room."

"No problem," Nick said with a smile and opened the door with a flourish. The room was pretty bare, he never really had guests. He eyed the full sized bed and lone night stand and gave Harry a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I-I'm not used to having guests."

Harry looked around the room, peeking around Nick's shoulder. "It's fine. All the essentials," he joked lightly and stepped past Nick into the room. "Well, er... 'night."

"Wait," Nick said, his face morphing into a look of confusion. He finally noticed Harry only had the clothes on his back. "Do you need, uhm, anything?" he asked, trying to remember if he had extra toiletries or a spare set of clothes that might fit the wizard. He certainly wouldn't fit in Nick's clothes. He viciously stomped an inner voice that wondered how Harry would look in his clothes and then recommended letting the man just sleep naked.

Harry chuckled and pulled a tiny suitcase from his pocket and shook his head. He held up the miniature luggage and dangled it from his thumb and index finger. "Nope, all set."

"Uhm..."

Harry laughed and placed the shrunken item on the bed and withdrew his wand. A flick and a wave had the suitcase enlarging where it laid and he just barely withheld a very unmanly giggle at Nick's expression. "See? All set."

"Oh," Nick breathed, blinking rapidly. "That's... awesome," he said with a grin. He shook his head and stepped back enough to close the door. "Night," he said and gave Harry some privacy. That was weird. Cool, but weird. He really shouldn't have been so shocked, he knew the guy was a wizard but he felt justified in still being surprised by magic, having only really known it was real for a few hours. He'd probably be surprised frequently around Harry.

He looked around the master bedroom, hands on his hips, with a small frown. It had been awhile since he'd been in here and it didn't look any different than the last time he had seen it, but he knew it was. A few pictures were missing and he knew there would be a half-empty closest and a mostly empty dresser. He slowly undressed and crawled into bed, sighing as he shifted into a more comfortable position.

He tried not to dwell too much on the near-stranger down the hall but it was difficult. He didn't exactly trust people easily and he found it unsettling and refreshing that Harry had evoked such things in him so easily... and quickly. He turned to lay on his side, his eyes on the closed door. He didn't sleep all that well alone, even though he'd had months of practice. He rolled over again and closed his eyes, focusing solely on his breathing in the hopes of sleep coming quickly.

Harry absently cast a cleaning charm on the bed, only after finishing did he feel himself flush with belated embarrassment and shame. He hadn't meant to be rude or disrespectful, assuming it was dirty, but it was an ingrained habit by now. It wasn't like Nick would know, but he still felt a bit like an arse. He sighed and tried to forget it; it was habit and he did _not_ feel guilty.

He flopped onto the edge of the bed and groaned softly, sitting with his elbows on his knees and his head falling into his palms with a dull _thwack_. He had acted like some gushy little third-year with his first crush and it was mortifying. He had babbled and talked, probably confusing Nick more than anything, blurting out all sorts of things he normally didn't talk about. His only real comfort was the fact that Nick had seemed genuinely interested, not just listening because he was Harry Potter or anything stupid like that. Of course, he had to tamp down a surge of excitement at that thought. Just because the guy was a good listener didn't mean a damn thing. He sighed and got ready for bed.

After a simple silencing charm, just in case a nightmare would surprise him, he snuggled into the unfamiliar bed as best he could. With an effort, he shut down all thoughts and let sleep take him.

 

-=#=-

Nick slowly woke up to the smell of coffee. He shuffled towards the bathroom and re-emerged a few minutes later, feeling a bit more human. He hurriedly got dressed and eased down the stairs. He came to a stop to see Harry in his kitchen, cooking breakfast. "Morning," he said, trying not to feel awkward. He felt a bit bad to have a guest making their own coffee and breakfast.

"Good morning," Harry said brightly. He chuckled when Nick groaned, obviously he was not a morning person. He wasn't normally either but he'd been up for awhile by that point and had already helped himself to two cups of coffee. "There's coffee," he said, pointing to the still gurgling coffee maker with a spatula.

Nick made a happy grunting noise in the back of his throat and shuffled over to the coffee maker. Since it was there, he slopped a healthy dose of sugar and cream into his mug before pouring the steaming coffee over it. He took a careful sip and moaned softly. "Thanks," he said, his eyes slipping closed as he enjoyed the invigorating aroma, heavenly taste and warmth going through him. He was very glad Harry was familiar with coffee.

Harry turned around quickly, thankful Nick was still having a coffee-gasm and didn't see him flush at the coffee induced moan. He felt a bit like a pervert for enjoying it. He cleared his throat and wiggled the pan, watching the eggs jiggle slightly before poking them lightly. "Eggs?"

"Nah, thanks," Nick said and leaned against the counter. "I didn't think I had anything worthwhile in the house," he said, sipping his coffee and watching Harry putter around the stove. He was quite adept in the kitchen, moving about like a pro. Nick could scramble an egg but that was about it.

Harry peeked over his shoulder at Nick and gave him a sheepish look. "There wasn't. I popped out to the store and got some things," he admitted. He didn't really know what the Grimm liked so he tried to get only basics.

"Oh," Nick said, blinking. He looked down at his mug and realized he probably hadn't even had coffee. "Thanks. Now I feel really bad about being a bad host."

Harry pulled the pan off of the flame, turned the burner off and turned around. "No, no. That's not what I meant..." he said waving his hands and trailed off, biting the inside of his bottom lip. He hadn't meant to imply any such thing. He really didn't mind and he'd thought he had been helping out. "I just wanted to help. Sorta repay you for letting me stay here."

"Oh," Nick said again, a bit brighter this time. "Well, when you put it that way," he snickered and shook his head once. "I still feel like a jerk for making you 'pay your way'." He laughed when Harry groaned and hurriedly turned around. "Kidding, man. I appreciate it, though. I wouldn't be having this amazing coffee otherwise," he said saluting Harry with his mug before taking another long sip.

Harry tried not to blush again. He was a grown man, for Merlin's sake. It was mortifying, and completely unfair, how much he had been doing that lately. He nearly groaned with embarrassment but kept it in. He really didn't need Nick asking why he was groaning and brooding like a teenager. "Happy to do it."

"Nearly ready?" Nick asked, draining the rest of his coffee and checking the time. He watched as Harry carefully scooped the eggs between two pieces of toast and suddenly wanted the same. Oh, and there was cheese melting over the whole thing. He tried not to drool. Harry nodded and carefully mashed the sandwich together. He grinned with delighted surprise when Harry handed him a second sandwich.

"Thanks," he said brightly, taking a large bite. He nearly moaned again, somehow keeping the sound in. Damn, it was good and he wasn't really a breakfast kinda guy. "S'good," he said through his mouthful. Harry just grinned at him and balanced a thermal cup in his other hand and levitated the coffee pot over it. He added a bit of sugar before filling a second cup, one with cream and sugar already in it.

"Ready," Harry said and carefully placed the lids on the cups.

Nick just nodded, taking the second cup from Harry when it was handed to him. He looked down at the filled coffee cup and sandwich and nearly sighed with fondness. He was going to get spoiled in no time if Harry did this every morning. He couldn't find it in himself to be put off by the thought and made his way outside. He glanced over as Harry warily approached the car. "You alright, man? You seem to really hate the car."

"I'll be fine," Harry said tightly and swallowed thickly. "Can I... do you mind if I use magic on it?" he asked, looking at Nick with a hopeful expression that made his green eyes widen into an adorable puppy-eyed look that Nick could not refuse. Nick nodded quickly, darting his eyes away to study his sandwich. Harry nearly jumped for joy; he could finally charm the sodding car. He quickly placed his sandwich and coffee cup on the roof of the car and subtly held his wand, most of it still in the holster he had up his sleeve. He closed his eyes and focused on a few non-verbal protection, cushioning and repelling charms. He sighed with relief, grabbed his things and slid into the car with a small smile.

Nick got behind the wheel, and sheepishly held out his coffee cup. "No cup-holders... would you mind?" Harry shook his head and grabbed the mug, settling it firmly between his legs. Nick looked away. "What did you do, anyway?" he asked as he started the car. It started just fine and didn't sound weird, so obviously whatever the wizard did hadn't altered his car.

"Just some charms to set my mind at ease. I made the mistake of looking up car accidents when I found out about the Internet," Harry said, his voice soft with horror and morbid curiosity. He shuddered violently, making a low, horrified sound in the back of his throat. "I haven't been able to stomach being in one since."

Nick laughed, feeling a bit bad about it until Harry grinned sheepishly at him. He didn't blame the guy at all. It was a surprise Wizards didn't have cars, but then again, he didn't exactly know all the details of Harry's world. It still seemed odd though. How did they get around? "Well that wasn't very smart. Ignorance is bliss, man. There's a _reason_ that saying is true."

"True," Harry murmured in agreement and focused on eating his breakfast. He occasionally handed Nick his coffee when he thought the man wanted it but otherwise the ride was quiet as they both just enjoyed their breakfasts and focused on their own thoughts.

For Nick's part, he was trying not to obsess over stupid shit. Harry was a _guy_. He _didn't_ think he was attractive or funny or adorable or any other thing he used to associate with Juliette -or any other woman. Well, that's what he was telling himself, anyway. Harry was a wizard. Powerful, too, if he'd understood anything from the conversation last night. Not that he needed to be told that; he could tell when he studied the wizard. It was at odds with his physical appearance and he wondered how many people paid the price for underestimating him.

His eyes would randomly slide over and he'd look at the other man from the corner of his eye. Harry was no longer looking nauseous as he sat in the passenger seat, so it was easier to study him. Harry had a strong profile, nice jawline that was a bit stubbly. His eyes were unique; he had never seen ones that vibrant a green before. Nick's eyes flicked up to the messy hair; It was all over the place and he got the impression it was like that naturally as it hadn't changed at all since he'd met the wizard. He watched as Harry raked a hand through it and it bounced right back to where it had been.

His thoughts, for some unknown/slightly unwanted reason, went right to the gutter and he quickly looked away. He did not just wonder if that's what the other man's hair looked like after sex... Harry was good looking, sure, but he thought that merely from an objective standpoint. Hank was good looking too and he never once thought about him in inappropriate ways.

Harry leaned back comfortably in the seat, feeling at ease and quite relaxed for once. He mentally went over his notes and firmly ignored the scrutiny he could feel coming from Nick. Maybe he was wondering why he'd let a stranger stay in his house. Maybe he was wondering just what sort of mojo he put on his car. He didn't know but he tried to keep his face passive each time he felt Nick's gaze land on him. Thankfully, by the time they got to the station, Nick was quietly humming and tapping the steering wheel with his thumbs randomly to a song on the radio. He followed the Detective to his desk and paused when there was a man sitting at the desk facing Nick's.

"Hey Hank, 'morning," Nick called as he sat at his chair. "Hank, this is Detective Harry Potter, Metropolitan Police. From Britain," he said and grinned when Hank blinked stupidly and stared at the wizard.

Harry leaned forward and offered a hand, smiling politely as Hank shook it. "Hullo. Nice to meet you. Are you Nick's partner?" Hank nodded and he made a mental note to remember his 'signature' for the wards. "I'm sorta just consulting here. Followed a lead to your area and needed a local to help me get some answers."

"Oh. Alright," Hank said and turned to Nick. "You asked Renard about it, I take it?" he asked, amusement lying under the annoyed tone. He knew how Nick worked at times and he didn't relish the idea of Renard chewing either of them a new one for helping some British cop.

Nick rolled his eyes and grabbed an extra chair, rolling it over and waving to it for Harry to sit. He looked away when Harry gave him a grateful smile. He looked back at Hank and scoffed. "Of course I did. Right after Harry approached me, we spoke to Renard." He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Some real crazy shit, too, Hank."

" _Oh_ ," Hank said meaningfully and inspected Potter more closely. The guy was tiny, Sargent Wu probably had an inch on him, but he had the unmistakeable aura of a cop. His eyes were sharp and he seemed to be very aware of his surroundings since the guy looked around with every movement. "So, we're talking... the _other_ kind of case?" he asked. Sure, he knew about Nick being a Grimm and all the weird Wesen shit, but he was still adjusting to it all but he didn't know how much Potter was aware of.

Nick nodded. "That and then some..." he said and chuckled. Hank was going to take the information as well as he did anything else, he wasn't worried, but he wasn't sure if he could tell him about the magic aspect. Harry seemed very secretive about it. Sure, Hank knew about the Grimm stuff, but that didn't mean he was cleared to be in on the whole secret of magic. "Anything today?"

"No, man, just old paperwork." Hank leaned back in his chair and flicked a stack of files. He was glad not to be out and about because some citizen blew away their lover—or chasing down a Löwen that chomped on a jogger—but he was _bored_. He looked to Potter with interest, hoping that whatever brought him here would be interesting enough to put off paperwork.

Nick grinned and stood. "Good. Let's get some coffee."

"Uh, Nick, you _just_ came in," Hank pointed out grinning, despite his words. He got up, standing a bit wobbly as he worked a crutch under his armpit and watched as Potter stood as well, the move fluid and agile. His curiosity peaked and he wanted to know what kind of cop Potter was. He wasn't buying the 'Detective' story at all. The guy moved more like a federal agent or a war veteran. "Where to?" he asked, following Nick and Potter back outside. He made sure his phone was on and charged in case either of them were needed and followed Nick down the sidewalk.

Nick shrugged. "Whatever's quiet and closest." He peeked out of the corner of his eye and suppressed a snicker when he noticed Harry trying to sort out where to walk. If he tried to keep pace, they wouldn't all fit on the sidewalk. Behind seemed to bother him and walking ahead made him suck his teeth lightly in annoyance. He shook his head and ducked into the first cafe they came upon. Finding a table in the back, he sat without waiting for the other two.

As soon as Harry sat, he leaned over, pitching his voice low, "Can you use... you know... and give us privacy?" he asked, watching Hank situate himself, still awkwardly maneuvering his crutches. He hoped for his partner's sake, he'd be done with them soon. Hank was a walking accident anymore.

"Yeah, of course," Harry said, nodding slowly. He waited until a waitress had bounced over, flirty smiles aimed at each of them, and bounced away before he said any more. "Audible or visual?"

Nick blinked and slowly grinned. He hadn't been sure Harry could do such a thing, he had only asked on the off chance he could do something. Magic was awesome. "Both? I don't wanna be overheard or those pictures being seen..."

"Yeah, alright," Harry agreed and took his Latte Mocha Something from the perky blonde waitress, politely ignoring the large set of breasts pushed into his face. As soon as she bounced off again, he subtly waved his wand under the table and set up the privacy wards. "What?" he asked when he saw two sets of eyes staring at him with open amusement.

Nick laughed and shook his head while Hank just pouted slightly. "Nothing," Nick said. Harry had looked almost offended by the blonde's rack in his face. He snorted when Hank continued to pout, obviously feeling rejected he didn't receive similar treatment. He sipped his coffee and leaned back, giving Hank a serious expression. "Well, Hank. Ready for some more crazy shit?" Hank nodded slowly, an interested sort of resignation to him as his eyes rapidly flicked between him and Harry. "Harry's here on a Wesen case. Turns out some gang in his neck of the woods is intent on expanding."

"Wesen?" Hank asked and looked at Harry with surprise before it dissolved into an appraising look. He paused, his hand still outstretched from where he was pushing his crutches into an out-of-the-way corner. "You're a... Grimm?" Harry shook his head, looking away after a moment. Hank looked at Nick, an eyebrow raised in question. If Potter wasn't a Grimm, how did he know about Wesen and what was with the... heebie jeebie feeling he was getting? "Renard know that part too?"

Nick nodded and pushed his coffee away a bit so he could settle his elbows on the table, hunching over them slightly. "Yeah. He was a bit leery about letting Harry here work in Portland until I mentioned the whole Wesen side of it. He was understandably cooperative after that." He watched as Harry pulled a thin file from his pocket, unfold it and slide it across the table towards Hank. "Take a look." He put a hand on Hank's arm when he went to take another sip of his Chai Tea. "I'd wait a moment for that..."

"Ah," Hank said and grimaced. He turned his attention to the file and felt himself pale a bit. He pushed his cup further away before focusing on the pictures. "Wesen did this?" he murmured as he studied the picture. It was gruesome. He'd seen Wesen do some savage things but he still felt a bit queasy. One picture, that appeared to be mostly a very large puddle of blood, had him rotating the picture a few times before he could make out body parts. He swallowed thickly and shuffled past the next photo when he caught a close up of a vivisection victim. Holy hell.

Harry cleared his throat. "No. That would be the gang. Death Eaters, they call themselves." When Hank looked up in confusion, he tried not to fidget. "Fancy themselves a cult, striving for immortality and racial purity."

"Ah," Hank said again. Clever name, morbid as fuck, but clever. "Shit," he breathed as he went through the rest of the pictures. He shook his head a bit, disgusted but not all that surprised at how barbaric humans could be to each other. He gladly looked away from the last picture; sure he'd see the frozen horrified look on the young face for awhile. "And they're here? In Portland?" he asked, closing the file. The reports were pretty much what he expected but it still made his stomach roil queasily. He shoved his Chai completely away with a grimace, glaring at Nick for a moment for ruining his mood and appetite.

Harry nodded and flipped open his notebook, sliding it across the table to the other Detective. "It took some figuring, but this is where the leads brought me."

Hank took the notebook and read the notes, the ones he could read anyway, and raised an eyebrow at the list of names. "You talk to any of these people?" he asked, pointing at the scribbled names. He recognized Monroe and Rosalee, of course, and figured they had already been cleared since he saw a check-mark and a smiley face next to their names. Cute.

"Just Monroe and Rosalee," Nick offered. "I figured we get some addresses and have a chat with a few people."

Hank nodded. He looked up after a thought occurred to him. "I'm assuming you're alright with me tagging along?" he asked, mostly looking at Harry. He tried not to be irked if the man didn't want him tagging along but Nick was _his_ partner and he wouldn't exactly be all that gracious if that were the case. Harry nodded gratefully and he grinned. "Alright." He studied the other man for a moment, his lips slightly pursed. "So, if you're not a Grimm, how are you aware of Wesen and all this really weird shit?" he finally asked, his curiosity at its peak.

Harry looked at Nick, searching for any indication if he should share the full details or not. He only got a shrug and he sucked his teeth in annoyance. Hank was a Muggle and it would be a lot harder to justify having him being made aware of magic. Maybe he could use the man's job as an excuse; he can't exactly help Harry or the Auror department if he weren't aware of the details. He sighed with resignation.

"I have to have your word you won't repeat anything I tell you to anyone other than myself or Nick."

"Of course," Hank said, nearly offended.

Harry shook his head, once, firmly. "No, I mean I need you to say it that way. It's binding and it's the only way I can tell you anything."

"You have my word I won't repeat anything you tell me to anyone other than you or Nick," Hank said, startling just enough to annoy him when a chill worked through his body—from the inside out. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Potter. "What was that?"

Harry shifted a bit awkwardly. "That was the binding taking effect," he said, offering an apologetic smile. He'd forgotten how odd a magical binding felt for a Muggle. "Now, to answer your earlier question; I'm a wizard. Those people? The Death Eaters? They're Dark Wizards. They, for reasons I haven't been able to work out yet, have involved Wesen with their activities. They are indeed intent on finding a way to get immortality and _blood_ purification."

"A wizard?" Hank blurted, feeling shocked stupid. He narrowed his eyes at Potter, doubt and suspicion nearly oozing out of him. Sure. _Magic_. He looked at Nick and his mouth dropped slightly when Nick nodded seriously. Well, fuck.

Harry nodded, fighting a smile. He really didn't blame the man for being so surprised. He felt a bit bad for just springing it on him so suddenly. "Yeah, a wizard. Magic, wands, hocus pocus, Merlin, alakazam," he said, his voice lowered dramatically as he waved his hands around. "All of that... but _real_." He let his magic build and crackle along the surface of his skin, smiling reassuringly when both Detectives' eyes went wider and they shifted in their seats. "See? Magic. How else have we remained undisturbed for over an hour?"

"Oh, wow," Hank breathed, looking around. The crackling, static-like energy was already fading. And now that he looked, the air around their table did appear a bit hazy and people were walking by without giving any of them a second glance. That fact alone sold it; none of them could sit and _not_ gather attention for any length of time, he mused smugly. He briefly wondered if Brittney, the perky waitress, thought they'd left without paying.

He looked back at Harry. "But, how? I mean, I'm learning the shit in story books isn't always fiction but this... this is just a bit out of _any_ reality, man."

Harry slumped in his seat, letting his magic settle down. He tried not to look at Nick, slightly fearful to see what his reaction to the blast of his magic was. "How? No idea. It's just something I was born with. Mutated gene I guess. I don't know... but it's not like I'm the only one. Wizards, we hide from Muggles. Muggles are non-magical people," he explained when Hank's brow furrowed in confusion. "Rarely do we interact and allow our secret out. And when we do? We have to ensure it's _kept_ secret. So, hence the verbal binding. Sorry about that, by the way."

"Yeah, no problem," Hank waved him off absently. He was still wrapping his head around the whole 'magic' thing. He glared at Nick. "How long did you know about this?"

Nick snorted a laugh. "Only since yesterday. It's not my problem you were hung over and didn't come in."

"Fuck off, man," Hank said with good humor, tempted to smack Nick with one of his crutches. He wished he had been hung over... "Alright, I can dig all that. Sorta." He tapped the file in the middle of the table. "What, exactly, are these Dark Wizards doing? Why are they killing people?"

Harry shrugged, a scary expression slowly darkening his face. "I haven't worked that out yet, exactly. Draco thinks they're harvesting human parts for potions or some archaic rituals. I don't disagree but I haven't been able to track down which potions or rituals it would be." He kept the hopes of it not being some resurrection ritual to himself. It made his skin crawl and he rubbed absently at the gooseflesh prickling across his skin.

"Draco?" Nick asked, turning slightly to regard Harry. He wasn't jealous or anything, it was just an odd name.

Harry grinned and rolled his eyes. "Malfoy." Nick nodded in understanding. He rarely called him by his first name, even when talking to the git; it still felt weird to. "My Auror partner."

"Aha!" Hank said triumphantly. "I knew you weren't a cop," he said smugly before leaning forward with pinched brows. "What's an Auror?"

Harry laughed and pulled out his Auror credentials. It was an ornate parchment scroll with a permanent protection charm on it and the closest thing to a badge he carried. He vanished the emerald bow and handed it over, grinning when Hank unrolled it with a look of shocked awe on his face as his fingers unconsciously stroked the thick material. "Sort of like a cop and secret agent, all mixed together." He watched as Hank handed the scroll over to Nick, trying not to fidget nervously. He was nervous for Nick to see it, for some reason.

"Holy shit. You're not even 30?" Nick asked, his eyes darting up to Harry quickly. He couldn't have honestly given an accurate guess to the wizards age; he seemed younger and older all at the same time. He glanced back down at the scroll, his mouth tightening when he noticed Harry had been an Auror for almost 12 years. "Shit," he breathed again. The guy was barely out of school before running off and chasing murdering Dark Wizards.

Harry shifted nervously again. "Yeah." He knew what Nick was looking at and it made him want to hide. "I went into the training program right out of school." He never exactly regretted the decision but occasionally wondered if he might've been able to have some sort of personal life if he had.

"Why?" Nick asked, horrified. The guy hadn't taken any time for a bit of fun. He didn't mean to pry, he knew it wasn't any of his business but it was so damn weird. He almost felt bad for him.

Harry ran a hand over his face and sighed quietly. "Lots of reasons." He looked up and tried to convey the need to end the conversation. He didn't exactly mind sharing the information with Nick, but he didn't know Hank well enough yet. And he wasn't sure the other Detective would understand even if he did tell him. Nick probably wouldn't, not exactly, but he would definitely have a better idea.

"Okay," Nick said slowly and let the scroll snap back up into a tight roll before handing it over to Harry again. He was going to ask later and he sent a quick look to Harry conveying that. The wizard grimaced and looked away. "So," he said and looked at Hank, sending a quick apologetic look for forgetting about him momentarily. "You in?"

Hank looked between Nick and Harry for a moment and sighed. "Yeah, I'm in."

 

-=#=-

"Alright, so what's the problem here?"

Harry looked up at the sudden interruption, barely suppressing his first urge to whip his wand out. "I don't type that well."

"I see that," Nick said laughing quietly, pointedly eyeing Harry's 'hunt and peck' style of typing. He still thought it was impressive how quickly he could peck considering he'd had so little experience. "Other than that."

Harry harrumphed and slid down in his seat with a petulant frown. "Damn Secrecy Law is biting me in the arse. I can't find a damn thing I need on here," he said and waved a hand at the computer he sat in front of. He scooted over when Nick pulled a chair over and sat in front of the computer as well. "I mean, I didn't think I would but I hoped..." he trailed off and gnawed on a thumb nail for a moment. "So much for 'Google anything'," he muttered sarcastically. "I did get addresses for the people on my list though."

"Did you cross reference for criminal activity?" Nick asked, already clicking away as he read names and addresses off of Harry's list. The first one brought up three hits. "Ah." Parking tickets, moving violation and... "Who the hell gets a ticket for littering?"

Harry chuckled and shrugged. "That's your jurisdiction, isn't it?" he joked.

"No," Nick said blandly. "This was all in the space of two weeks..." he trailed off as he read. He made a few notes next to Harry's and continued down the list. Most of the names weren't in the database, and the ones that were only had minor records. "Nothing heavy," he mused. "I highly doubt the people on your list are criminals." Which was kind of a surprise since most were the more violent, vicious type of Wesen. Once he'd figured out the code, he noted Löwen, a few other Blutbad, Coyotl and even a Jägerbar or two. He had a feeling Death Eaters were either brave or ignorant of what— _who_ —they were dealing with.

Harry hummed thoughtfully. "Like Monroe. I'm sure we're dealing with Wesen, almost exclusively." He looked to Nick, a slightly worried expression on his face. "If you come with me, we're not going to have Wesen attacking us at every stop, are we?" He knew most of these were the more violent sort and he didn't look forward to it. At all.

"Uh... no?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Brilliant," he muttered. He would cast a Protego on himself, Nick and Hank anyway, but with Nick's unsure reaction, he'd make sure it was stronger than usual and maybe add a mild electric-like zapping sensation that only reacted when forcefully breached. He didn't fancy having to hurt anyone for a simple, instinctual reaction but he didn't fancy _being_ hurt either. "Can we get started?"

"Yeah, let's get Hank and go." Nick pushed away from the desk and stood, watching as Harry straightened up and shut everything down. He nearly rolled his eyes; the guy was so organized it was nearly annoying sometimes.

 

-=#=-

"How many times have I asked you to let me talk?" Harry asked, picking debris out of his hair with a slight scowl. He'd had to Stupefy a Jägerbar, a very pissed off bear-like Wesen, that charged at them the moment he saw Nick. On their first visit, they had been slammed into a door by a Blutbad and Nick had agreed to stay in the background unless he was needed.

He glared when Nick gave him a sheepish smile, gritting his teeth when he wanted to just smile back as he felt his anger already evaporating. Stupid, pretty eyed bastard. "Bugger," he hissed and rolled his shoulder gently.

Nick paused in his own self-check and eyed Harry. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Harry said and sighed. "Just sore. Nothing I can't handle." It was probably wasn't dislocated and he wasn't about to complain. He has had much worse and it hadn't slowed him down. "Now, I'm going to try this again. You're going to wait here, right?" Nick nodded, looking appropriately chastised. He looked at Hank and got a nod in confirmation; he'll keep Nick back. Harry nodded and walked back up to the front door.

A muttered Ennervate and he was prepared when the Jägerbar immediately went for him as soon as he came to. "Hey, calm down," he said lowly, letting his magic crackle warningly. He smiled darkly when the man froze and looked at him warily. "I'm not here to hurt you, I'm not here to do anything but ask a few questions." He slowly let his magic fade, watching the Jägerbar closely.

The Jägerbar huffed as he got to his feet and crossed his arms over his massive chest. "What about the Grimm?" he growled lowly, jerking his chin towards the door where he knew Nick stood.

"He's not here to hurt you either." Harry said sincerely. "I know what sort of history you lot have, but he's not the... usual sort. Ask any other Wesen that's met up with him." He stared back at the Jägerbar, not dropping his gaze when the Wesen glared fiercely at him. "I'm only here to ask questions," he said again, raising his hands. When he got a curt nod, he slowly withdrew his notebook. "You're Samuel Pillar?"

Samuel nodded curtly again. "I am, yeah. What do you want?" he asked. He was pretty sure the guy was a cop, even though he'd showed up with a Grimm and he was a little confused. He had been pretty much waved away when he'd called the cops earlier.

Harry paused, unsure how to phrase his questions. He sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "I'm not sure how to phrase this... Have you seen anyone weird about?"

"Yeah," Samuel said slowly, eyes narrowing and flashing a solid, dark brown. "Some jokers wearing black capes and pulling pranks." He uncrossed one arm so he could angrily point a finger at Harry, coming close to digging it into his chest. "You _cops_ said it was just teenagers and to put up security lights," he snorted, showing what he thought of that idea.

Harry snorted back and rolled his eyes in understanding. "I'm not exactly a cop, sir, as I'm sure you know." He raised an eyebrow and grinned when Samuel nodded slowly, his entire posture stiffening and going wary. He didn't exactly want the man afraid of him but if it kept him from attacking again, he was willing to work with it. "Anyway, what can you tell me about these jokers?" he clicked his pen and waited patiently.

"Like I said. Wore black capes and pulled pranks. They lit my yard on fire, graffiti'd my house and I think one of those sick bastards killed my cat."

Harry blinked. "Cat?" he asked, looking the Jägerbar over. He hadn't meant to sound judgmental, but the massive, dour Wesen didn't strike him as a cat person. Or an anything-small-and-fluffy person. He hated to think it but the Wesen looked more likely to eat a cat than own one.

"Yeah, so what?" Samuel growled defensively. "I love my cat and rarely let him out. One slice in the screen and Mister Snickers got out. I put up flyers..." he trailed off, his voice sad. He blinked when the 'cop' gave him a sympathetic smile and patted his arm. He cleared his throat loudly. "Anyway, yesterday one of them tried to jump me, but I was able to get a good hit in. Knocked the bastard out and called the cops. He was gone by the time anyone got here, though."

Harry wrote furiously. "What did the graffiti look like?"

"I took pictures. For the insurance company. It ain't gonna be cheap to replace the wood or strip the paint off," Samuel said, disgust and irritation in his tone. He spent good money building his home from cedar logs only to have a bunch of punks come along and vandalize it. Freakin' teenagers. He dug through the file he threw together quickly just that morning and handed them over to Harry. "See? Damn punks," he growled under his breath.

Harry studied the pictures, dread worming through him as he recognized numerous runes. "Is this all of them?" he asked, looking up briefly. When Samuel nodded, he tapped the pictures and made copies, tucking them into the back of his notebook with casual indifference. "Did any of them speak to you?"

"They tried," Samuel growled, still a bit dazed from watching the pictures magically copy themselves. What the hell was that? "Spoke some sort of foreign language and tried to jump me."

Harry nodded again, pen scribbling. "Is there somewhere you can go? Somewhere safe?"

"You _really_ think these punks are going to hurt me? Or chase me out of my home?" Samuel, surprise and humor heavy in his voice. He was not running off scared from a bunch of punks. He'd put those kind in their place before and he'd do it again. He cracked his large knuckles, as if proving the point.

Harry looked up and regarded Samuel seriously. "Yes. These aren't teenagers, sir. They're dangerous, vicious people. You got lucky the first time, I wouldn't count on luck saving you a second time. If there's anywhere you can go, especially around other people, I'd recommend you do so." He nodded at the skeptical expression. "I know how it sounds, but I'm serious."

He stepped closer, letting his magic flow forth again with an audible crackling sound. "Feel that?" Samuel nodded slowly, eyes widening as a very uncomfortable pins and needle sensation crawled over his skin. "They can do this and _worse_. Easily and joyfully," he said quietly when the eyes widened further, with no small amount of fear. He withdrew his magic and nodded. "I thank you for your cooperation."

"Are you gonna stop these clowns?" Samuel asked a bit hesitantly. He hadn't felt anything from the punks like he did from the 'cop'. But if they could do the same thing, and worse, he wasn't afraid to admit it scared the shit out of him. Harry nodded firmly, his face set in a serious expression. He pursed his lips and studied the smaller man, he didn't look like much but he could tell the guy would at least try. "'Cause if you are, I know a few guys that're probably getting hassled, too."

Harry clicked his pen, giving Samuel his full attention. "Names?" He wrote furiously as Samuel listed names, a mix of relief and disappointment going through him when only one in the seven names he was given wasn't already on his list. "Thank you. If you see them before I can talk with them, please warn them not to attack and then to get out of town."

"Yeah, alright," Samuel said and smiled despite himself. "Sorry about earlier, by the way. I'm just not used to a Grimm that doesn't want to take my head for a trophy." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, unsure why he felt the need to explain. "Normally, I don't have issues with Grimms but I had a run in with one before. So..."

Harry nodded with understanding. He got that from the brief history Nick had told him. "Understood. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Not that I can think of," Samuel said after a moment of serious thought. "I think one of them was a girl," he said with a shrug. "I don't know if it matters."

Harry made a note of it. "It does, thank you. Anything else—" He handed over a quickly charmed card, "Please call me. Even if it seems silly or a small detail, anything at all you can tell me will help." Samuel nodded, looking the card over with interest before giving Harry his attention again. "Thank you for your time. And please, find somewhere safe to go as soon as you can." He nodded a final time and left, closing the door behind him. He looked up and glanced at Nick. "I didn't get much, but what I did learn doesn't look good."

"Okay. So, what did you learn?"

Harry sighed and shuffled through his notes before pulling the pictures out. "I need help." He smiled crookedly at Nick's confused look. He knew the Grimm wouldn't recognize runes, especially not Wizarding runes. He took the pictures back and started taking pictures of them with his mobile, attaching them to a message as soon as he was finished with the last one. "I only took runes in my last year, only just passed with a P. I just hope he got an O in that class," he muttered to himself as he held his mobile up to his ear.

Nick could only watch in confusion, not understanding anything past 'I need help' and just leaned against the car, observing as Harry smiled slightly as he waited for whomever he called to answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**Löwen** (pronunciation: LØ-vin, Grimm: LOH-win; Germ. Löwe "lion", plural Löwen) is a lion-like Wesen. They are naturally aggressive, competitive, and violent, they are also renowned for having a horrible temper._
> 
> _**Coyotl** (koh-YOO-tuhl; Grimm: ki-YOH-tuhl; Nah. "coyote"; plural: coyomeh or cocoyoh) is a coyote-like Wesen. They are known for being mean, nasty, and all around bullies. They have a very strong pack mentality and don't take kindly to anyone straying from the sacred bond of the pack . Despite their ruthless nature, Coyotl greatly fear Grimms to the point that they will not even attempt to fight them and simply surrender._
> 
> _**Jägerbar** (pronunciation: YAY-gər-bar; Germ. Jäger "hunter" + Bär "bear") is a bear-like Wesen. Jägerbars relationship with Grimms seems reasonably neutral. They neither greatly fear them, nor do they hate them. However, they are still wary of them, particularly if confronted by them.)_


	3. Chapter 3

"Malfoy."

"Potter! What is the meaning of this?" Draco hollered into the mobile. He had jumped, his heart thudding hard, when his pocket vibrated and some Muggle pop song blasted from his pocket. He hadn't expected the blasted thing to make such a racket. He didn't realize, at first, where the music was coming from and nearly missed Potter's call as he fumbled with the mobile and tried to remember how to answer it.

Harry held the mobile away from his ear, grinning despite the ringing Malfoy's shout caused. He was reminded strongly of Ron's first attempts with a phone and had to bite his tongue so he wouldn't laugh. Malfoy wouldn't appreciate it or the comparison. He'd been surprised Malfoy accepted the Muggle device, let alone learned how to use it. Sort of. He got the basics down but that was it; he could make a call and answer it. It was enough, for now.

"No need to shout, Malfoy, I can hear you just fine. Did you get the pictures?"

"The what?" Draco asked, after he cleared his throat softly. He was grateful Potter couldn't see him, it would be embarrassing to be seen blushing. He was still getting used to the damned thing. He managed to get the mobile on speaker and followed Harry's instructions on how to view the pictures, his brows rising nearly to his hairline as he scrolled through them. "Where did you find these?" he finally asked, his brows raised.

Harry pursed his lips, unsure how to take Malfoy's stunned tone. "On the side of someone's house. What do they mean?"

"The first one is an old resurrection rune," Draco said. He would go into what each rune was called but he knew it would be lost on Potter. The idiot was hopeless with runes. "The second looks to be some sort of hex rune. A nasty one, meant to cause a reaction akin to the Imperious, but with the added bonus of pain when in connection with the third one."

Harry slumped against the car, rubbing his face wearily. "Well shit. That all sounds very, very bad."

"It is," Draco agreed gravely. "I take it these are mementos from Death Eaters?"

Harry sighed tiredly. It wasn't even 1 PM. "Yeah. What about the last one?"

"Oddly enough, protection," Draco said, surprise in his tone. "It doesn't exactly add up with the first three, now does it?" he mused aloud. It might be a way to keep the victim safe from _other's_ influence but it was hard to say at the moment. "Whose house was this on, again?"

Harry shrugged, even though he knew Malfoy couldn't see it. "Some local bloke."

"And _why_ was he targeted?" Draco asked slowly. He fingered the charmed Galleon in his pocket, wondering if he should use it to track down Potter and apparate over there. He had a feeling the man was into something bad. He grimaced; he'd have to do it in at least 1 hop. Potter probably did it in one go, the smug idiot.

"I'm not sure yet," Harry said honestly. He glanced over at Nick, "Hold on, Malfoy." He lowered the mobile, covering the speaker part. "How comfortable are you with me telling him about the whole Grimm—Wesen thing?"

Nick wasn't sure why Harry was asking, but he appreciated it nonetheless and found himself smiling. "Yeah, it's fine. I mean, he's your partner, right?" Harry nodded. "I assume he's under the same secrecy laws as you?" Harry nodded again, trying to keep himself from smiling back like an idiot. "If he's going to be helping, he should know." Harry gave him a small, thankful smile and he nodded back.

"It's a long story, Malfoy. How long you got?"

"Oh, for you, Potter, I've got ages," Draco drawled and lowered himself into a chair. He would roll his eyes and curse the bloody Savior but he had worked with the man long enough to realize trouble just found him, he never really had to go out of his way to seek it. Some things, unsurprisingly, haven't changed in the least. "I've even gotten myself quite comfortable with a nice cup of tea," he said, conjuring a delicate china cup of Darjeeling and settling back into his chair. "Do proceed, Potter," he said imperiously.

Harry laughed and rolled his eyes, too used to Malfoy's snooty ways to make any comments. He shifted to a more comfortable position as well and tried his best to fill Draco in on everything he'd learned about Wesen. Nick offered input occasionally, mostly correcting pronunciations. Hank just watched, trying not to interfere. Harry rubbed the back of his neck and waited for Malfoy to say something.

"Well, does that shed a lumos on the runes?" Harry finally asked. "Or motive?"

"Not at all, Potter," Draco said slowly. He was more surprised Harry told this Nick person about magic than he was about the whole Wesen sub-culture thing. After all, he was no stranger to magical creatures or wizards with creature blood. It was only mildly surprising to know there was such things in what was essentially the Muggle world. How delightfully inconvenient that Potter would stumble right into the middle of it all. "How many of these creatures have you spoken to?"

Harry sucked his teeth and made a face into the mobile. "Not creatures, Malfoy. People. _Wesen_. And only four so far. Only one has had any actual contact with suspected Death Eaters."

Draco settled back in his chair, his fingers curled under his chin. "And you said another four are already dead, yes?" He silently agreed with Potter that while the deaths all looked 'accidental' or 'natural', it didn't discount Death Eater's being involved. Muggles hadn't any way to note a death by the Killing Curse. Wizards could barely detect it, the wandwork and spell involved usually too involved and bordering on Dark for most to even bother. It was usually just assumed and left at that.

"Yeah."

Draco hummed and scrolled through the pictures of the runes again. "Are you able to photograph these Wesen while they're in... woge?" he asked, finally dredging up the term Potter had used. He tried to get rid of the image of that blonde pop star dancing and gyrating in a pointy bra, cursing Potter for the knowledge even being in his head in the first place.

Harry looked to Nick, tilting the mobile away from his mouth. "Can you photograph a Wesen in woge?"

Nick shrugged. "I don't know. All of the books I have are old and the pictures are hand drawn. I suppose we could ask Monroe or Rosalee to help us out," he said with another shrug. He didn't know how it would work out or even if either of them were willing to allow it. The very thought of other Wesen holding still for a photo session made him snicker into his hand.

"Not sure, but we can probably find out," Harry said into the phone. "Nick is friendly with a Blutbad and a Fuchsbau, they might be willing to let us try. Why?"

Draco rolled his eyes, wishing Potter could see it. "Because, Potter, you could catalog them and be able to identify them regardless of which form they're in," he said slowly as if Harry were stupid. He sort of was. He chuckled softly, more amused than annoyed by the fact. When it came to raw power or instinct, Harry was unbeatable, but make him think through the finer details and he choked. It was fitting how well they worked together since they seemed to mesh so well with their areas of expertise. "I'd imagine each would be unique to their own species. Markings and whatnot."

"Oh. I guess that's a good idea," Harry mused. He didn't see how it would help, but it might. At some point. He couldn't imagine many Wesen standing still in full woge for some sort of catalog, though. He laughed when Draco scoffed indignantly at the suggestion he didn't utter an absolutely brilliant idea. Git. "Any thing else, O' wise one?" he asked cheekily. He grinned when Nick laughed, muffling the sound with his hand.

Draco scowled at the mobile, wishing Potter could see that, too. If it were nice normal floo connection, the bastard could see it, he lamented. Of course, he did not know his phone had the capability to video chat. "Not at the moment, Potter. Shall I ring when inspiration strikes?" He paused and grinned. "So, is this Nick Burkhardt as dreamy in person as his photo suggests?" he drawled.

He didn't share the same tastes as Potter but even he raised an eyebrow when he had seen the photograph of the man in question. Men weren't his cup of tea but he could understand why Potter had gone quiet and stared when he'd opened the file. He had half a mind to think that's what had the git so keen on going to America in the first place. He laughed when he heard Potter make a strangled coughing noise, gleefully imagining the flush that would be pinking his cheeks as he played with the back of his hair; Potter's very telling signs of unease, embarrassment or awkwardness.

"Yeah," Harry murmured before he could catch himself and then scowled into the mobile. He was fighting a blush and smoothing the back of his hair. Nosy prat. He looked away, hoping Nick was too busy talking with Hank to pay him close attention. Thankfully, he was. Unfortunately, he was leaning into the lowered back window to talk to Hank and Harry's gaze inadvertently focused on his bent over arse for a beat longer than necessary. "Shut _up_ ," he hissed, turning away enough to not be noticed but enough to hopefully muffle his end of the conversation.

Draco laughed, enjoying the mostly-friendly banter. Of course, he couldn't help teasing Potter a bit, too. It was just too ingrained in their dynamic not to. "Right then, enjoy that." He snickered when Harry just hummed, obviously unwilling to say anything else with the subject of their gossiping so close. "I'll see what I can find on these runes, particularly when used together."

Harry nodded, grimaced when he remembered he couldn't be seen and cleared his throat. "Yeah, that'd be brilliant," he said as brightly as he could, still pissed at Malfoy's stupid, nosy question and disconnected the call, chuckling as he realized Draco probably wouldn't know he had hung up for at least a minute.

He shrugged at Nick's expectant expression. "Bad news is the runes are connected to Dark magic. Good news is Malfoy hasn't popped in next to me to annoy me in person."

Nick laughed. "He does sound a bit... particular," he said, pausing long enough to find a word that said 'pompous asshole' but hopefully wouldn't offend Harry. It was clear he had a strange, but close relationship with his partner, but he didn't want to say anything negative outright either. It was still his partner. Hank could be a dick but he wouldn't stand for anyone saying it. 

"He's an arse," Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes. "But he knows his runes and I have to thank Merlin for that." He quickly added the new information to his notes and frowned. "Have you gotten any other calls about graffiti or 'teenagers'," he said, making air quotes around the word, "pulling pranks."

Hank and Nick both shook their heads. "No, but even if someone called about it, it wouldn't necessarily come to us. I can find out though," Nick said, getting out his phone. He briefly sorted through his contacts before putting the phone up to his ear. "Wu," he said brightly. "can you do me a favor?" He waited and chuckled. "I know but it's nothing major. Could you find out if there have been any recent calls about vandalism or harassment by people in cloaks?" He paused again and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know but it's related to a case." He leaned back against the car and grinned, both with humor and relief. "Thanks, give me a call when you have something," he said and ended the call.

"I'd like to get a few more names crossed off," Harry said, opening the car door. Nick nodded and slid behind the steering wheel.

 

-=#=-

Harry tried not to gulp or whip his wand out when faced with the glowering Lausenschlange standing stiffly in the doorway. He'd seen enough of the woge to be reminded of Voldemort and he was still trying to calm himself down. He almost wished he'd allowed Nick to follow him this time. He tried not to give a 'help me!' look over his shoulder at the Grimm waiting in the car. He refused to be seen as some whimpering damsel. With an effort, he controlled his breathing so his magic wouldn't lash out.

"What do you want?" the Lausenschlange hissed curtly. He detested humans and the one on his doorstep reeked of authority and power. He would have though him a Grimm but the man wasn't trying to hack his head off or stab him through the heart. He nearly snarled, he hated cops most of all. They never gave him any peace. He looked the man over with his lip curled in disgust; he was so _small_ , he didn't understand why the little man put his instincts on alert.

Harry cleared his throat and slowly brought his notepad out, grateful for the Protego surrounding him when the Lausenschlange twitched. The hazy snake-like visual was no longer there but it hadn't exactly left his mind. He took another deep breath. "I'm sorry to disturb you, sir. Are you Adam Singer?"

"Yes. What. Do. You. Want?"

Harry stood taller and tried not to sneer or scowl back. "I'm Detective Harry Potter, with the Portland Police," he introduced. A small lie but he didn't think the man would check up on him. "I wanted to ask a few questions, that's all. Your name was on a list with other Wesen," he said, watching as the man's eyes widened before narrowing in a vicious, yet suspicious, glare. "No, I have no wish to pursue that issue, I assure you. My concern is for your safety, sir, as I have reason to believe you are a target of a terrorist group. Have you noticed any strange people about? Any violent or concerning exchanges?"

"Yes," Adam said slowly, finally answering after studying the Detective for long moments. "I had some pervert peeping in my daughter's window a few days ago. Sadly, he didn't stay around long enough for me to deal with," he said lowly, the threat very clear. Harry couldn't find it in himself to care about the Death Eater's well-being, though. More's the pity he wasn't dealt with by the glowering Lausenschlange, really. "I also caught some fool in a hooded costume trying to vandalize my car."

Harry nodded, scribbling notes quickly. He sensed Adam's patience was running out. He itched to ask what had been marked onto the car but he knew it wouldn't be answered. Hopefully, it hadn't been removed or covered over yet and he could check for himself as he left. He didn't bother asking the Wesen if he'd contacted the police; it was obvious he wouldn't have. "I see. Is that it?"

"No," Adam hissed and shifted a bit, unease rippling through him, quite unwelcomed. "I was nearly attacked this morning, on my way to work." He hadn't wanted to admit it, but he felt it important even as he sneered at the small man. "There were four of them," he added when the Detective made a note. "Would you mind explaining what sort of list you found my name on?" he asked. He kept out of trouble and he wasn't exactly a pillar of the Wesen community, there weren't many other Lausenschlange for him to bother. He could handle nearly any threat, but he mostly feared for his daughter. "Is my daughter on this list?" he asked lowly, trying and mostly succeeding to keep the fear and anger from his tone.

Harry looked at Adam closely, realizing something changed. The Lausenschlange was no longer combative or snarling, by no means was he pleasant but at least he didn't look ready to slam the door in his face or turn into a snake and eat him. He tried not to smile at the change in attitude.

"The list, I believe, is of other Wesen the group wishes to... use. I have little doubt they are intended victims and not suspects involved with the group," he added, noting the way Adam relaxed slightly when he made it clear he was not a suspect. It was highly doubtful he enjoyed the title 'victim' any better, though. "Their purpose is unclear at this time, I'm sorry to say. And I do not recall seeing your daughters name," he said, checking the list. He hadn't seen any other notations of another Lausenschlange.

"Carolyn," Adam said quietly, leaning forward a bit and hoping to see the list. He scowled at the messy scrawl, unable to decipher anything at all.

Harry looked up and shook his head. "No, she's not listed," he said, noticing the way Adam relaxed slightly. Sure, he was a snake-faced jerk, but he cared about his daughter. Harry respected that. "How old is she?"

"She'll be fourteen next week," Adam said stiffly. "Are there any precautions I should take?"

Harry tried not to shrug. "Find somewhere else for a bit? I haven't a full picture of the threat they pose, so I can't give an accurate answer how to protect your family," he said apologetically. He handed over his charmed card. "Please, call me if anything further happens or if you think of any detail, however small or seemingly inane, that might help." He nodded when Adam took the card and read it carefully before putting it in his back pocket.

He turned just as the door closed firmly and took his time walking down the walkway, gaze flicking around looking for a car. He paused when he saw a late model Mercedes, parked in such a way to partially hide the deep scratches in the shiny silver paint. They looked unfinished, even to him. He looked around and quickly took as many pictures as he could as he made his way back to Nick's car, sliding in with a quiet sigh.

"Well?" Nick asked. He had hated the idea of Harry talking to a Lausenschlange alone, but he knew his presence would have made any sort of civil exchange impossible. He had almost sent Hank with the wizard but Harry had given him the stink eye, and he had looked away and tried to banish any thoughts of over-protectiveness.

He narrowed his eyes slightly when he realized Harry looked a bit shaken; his hand was a little shaky as it swept through his mess of hair and he looked a bit pale. He hadn't seen him react that way before and it was a bit worrisome. "You okay?"

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. He just... reminded me someone," he said and smiled thinly. He was _not_ going to share that story, Nick could give him puppy-eyes until they fell out of his skull. Thankfully, the Grimm didn't turn those lethal blue-grey weapons on him and let the issue drop. "And he has had contact with Death Eaters, but like Samuel, he'd scared them off." He paused for a moment, lips pursed in thought. "I think they might have underestimated the nature of some of the Wesen," he said wryly. Death Eaters weren't known for their bravery and the idea of them running (well, apparating) scared from a pissed off Wesen made him want to smile. "What?" he said when he noticed Nick watching him intently.

"Are you okay?" Nick asked again.

Harry huffed and waved his notepad. "Fine. I got helpful information." He busied himself with studying the picture of the car. The same runes as he'd found on Samuel's house but the second one was badly drawn and last one was incomplete. He made a note to ask Malfoy if that would effect the magic of the runes. He was sure it would but he didn't want to guess. "Next on the list."

 

-=#=-

Harry smiled at the friendly Fuchsbau. The guy was in his mid-twenties, dirty blonde hair hanging into warm hazel eyes and much too friendly for his own good—considering what brought Harry to question him. He had recoiled slightly, briefly woging, when he saw Nick but he recovered quickly when Nick made no move towards him.

"Carl Hack?" Harry asked, smiling a bit.

The Fuchsbau nodded, returning the smile politely. "Yeap, that's me. What's up?" he asked, looking between the three men on his front porch. Normally, he'd probably be freaking out to have cops— _and_ a Grimm—show up but the short one gave him a reassuring, friendly smile and he was almost immediately calmed. Cops didn't smile if you were in trouble.

Thankfully, the questioning didn't last long and by the time Harry got back in the car, he was scowling and stabbing his pen into his notepad. So far, every Wesen he questioned either had no contact at all with the Death Eaters or had managed to scare them off before anything escalated. No names, no faces, no _anything_ that would help identify who the Death Eaters were. He sighed and rubbed his eyes; this generation of Death Eaters were much better at staying anonymous and keeping their involvement secret.

He jumped slightly when Nick tapped his shoulder. "Hmm?"

"I asked if you got anything helpful?" Nick asked, one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. It didn't take a genius to see Harry was frustrated. He felt bad and wished he had something to offer that would be helpful.

Harry sucked his teeth and glared at his notes. "No, not really. All I seemed to have learned is so far I think Fuchsbau are my favorite Wesen," he said thinking of Rosalee and Carl. They were so far the least aggressive, which he liked for obvious reasons, and overall the nicest. Rosalee was kind, always with a smile and warmth in her friendly brown eyes. And Carl was just adorable, if a bit hyper. Not that he'd admit that last one aloud, he got the impression it wouldn't be appreciated... for many reasons.

He grinned when Nick gave him a disgruntled look before getting serious again. "The Death Eaters have been very successful at keeping themselves under the radar. I've got nothing yet that gives me any clue who, why, or where."

"Shit," Nick said, slumping in the seat a bit.

Harry nodded, silently agreeing. Shit indeed.

"So. Lunch?"

 

-=#=-

Harry cast another privacy ward around them, keeping it subtle since they were in the front of a public restaurant. "I got a text from Malfoy," he said, grinning as he checked his phone. It was a rather jumbled mess, obviously the concept of typing still stymied the wizard. He smirked, "After decoding it, I figured out that he was able to research the runes and had an answer."

"Great," Nick said, licking his fingers. Harry tried not to stare and busied himself with wiping his own fingers on a napkin. "Call him back."

Harry paused for only a moment. He tried to figure out the time difference and then shrugged; Malfoy wouldn't bother making sure he would be calling at a decent hour so he felt justified in not caring. He laughed when the call was answered on the fourth ring with a muffled, groggy snarl of ' _Oi, what the fuck, Potter!_ ' "Hey, Malfoy. I got your message about the runes," he greeted cheerfully, probably more amused at Malfoy's foul mood and language than he should be, and set the mobile on speaker before placing it on the table.

"Wonderful," Draco drawled, his voice fuzzy with sleep and therefore lacking the acid he hoped to convey. He covered a yawn with the back of his hand, mentally cursing Harry Fucking Potter for calling so late—well, early. Bastard woke him up. He nearly went off on a rant about manners and proper calling times but figured it would go in one ear and right out of the other. He sighed and rubbed his face delicately, trying to force the lingering sleep away.

"I was able to determine that the runes, when used in conjunction, are intended to enslave the target," he said and stifled a yawn. "Very old, very Dark magic. We're talking, from the times of Merlin here, Potter. Thankfully, none appeared to have been completed enough to actually function as intended." He quietly slipped out of his room, not wanting to wake his wife, and shuffled down the hall, plopping himself behind his desk. He settled into the comfortable chair with a soft sigh.

Harry perked up. "Would they be specific to a particular family or blood line?"

"Not especially," Draco said. He felt a bit bad when he could practically feel Potter's excitement deflate. He had had similar hopes. It was refreshing to be reminded that Potter had a brain and that it hadn't atrophied and dribbled out of his ears due to lack of use. "It can be narrowed down to a very small number, though. There aren't many pure-blood lines still around from that time frame. I hate to admit the Malfoy line would be included in that," he added quietly. "As well as the Potters and the Peverells," he added, voice even softer.

"Well, unless you've got relatives you never told me about, a Malfoy wouldn't be involved in this, right?" Harry asked, only slightly concerned.

Even with their past, he'd come to respect Malfoy and see past a lot of the illusions he tried to cast as a boy. He could only imagine the pressure he was under during Hogwarts. It didn't excuse all of his behavior; the man was still a genuine prat, but he wasn't evil incarnate either. Lucius and Narcissa weren't innocent followers of Voldemort in the past but the near destruction of their family had them re-thinking their values.

Neither would probably embrace a Muggleborn or a half-blood into their family but they no longer seemed to think them inferior wizards and witches and wished for them to be culled from Wizarding society based only on their blood status. Hermione probably had more than a bit to do with that, both having seen first hand how truly powerful and intelligent she was. His own family name ended with him and he didn't think the Peverell family had any decedents since the 17th century. He made a note to check, thoroughly, just in case.

Draco cleared his throat. "No, none that I'm aware of. I can only hope an old book from the Malfoy family library had been pilfered at some point and used without my father's knowledge should our name be involved."

He could, unfortunately, think of quite a few people that had had access and ability to do such a thing. His father had shown a foolish level a trust to the former Dark Lord and to too many of his fellow Death Eaters. He nearly rolled his eyes at the foolishness. It was pointless exercise, though. He did slump a bit in his chair though, annoyed and ashamed at yet another reminder of his family's foolishness and blind grope for perceived power. He sighed softly, away from the mobile, wondering when history would stop biting his arse.

"Yeah, see, that I wouldn't doubt," Harry mused.

He doubted there was another Malfoy running about that he wasn't aware of but it wouldn't be a complete surprise. More than one family had hidden their children away from the Dark Lord, unwilling to subject them to the horrors of the upcoming war. He hoped that Lucius' close involvement with the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters kept him from doing such a thing, though. He snorted at the thought of another Draco out in the world. Merlin help them...

"So, do you have names?"

Draco leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes lightly, idly wondering if he should summon a house-elf for tea. "Not as of yet. Most are relatively unknown, at least in connection to the first two... occurrences," he said, delicately glossing over mentioning the wars, knowing Potter wouldn't appreciate the mention at the moment. He was rather sure their call was amplified for the other Detective to hear and he really didn't want to put Potter in an awkward spot. Oddly enough. He frowned lightly, a bit annoyed he cared.

"I'll see what I can find out and send you whatever I find as soon as I can." He paused, tapping his desk thoughtfully. He already gathered Potter had made his notes but he felt the need to contribute. "I'll also check that the Peverell line is truly dead." He didn't bother with the Potter's; he knew Harry was the last and only. Not even his devious, twisted mind could imagine Harry Potter behind the occurrences.

He smirked, "So, Potter—" he drawled lazily, settling back in his chair comfortably.

"Malfoy, you're on speaker," Harry loudly interrupted. He knew that tone. Malfoy was going to be a prat and he knew exactly what he was going to say. He tried to ignore the slightly tinny evil laugh drifting up from the mobile and glared at the table, wishing the blonde bastard could see it.

Draco sighed, only slightly regretting the fact he no longer taunted the other wizard for his own amusement. Well, not as frequently. "Yes, yes, fine. I was only going to remind you that young Teddy expressed an interest in seeing you," he covered smoothly. It wasn't exactly a lie but it was not what he was originally going to say. He smirked smugly, knowing he had still been able to ruffle Potter without even having to overtly taunt the man. Or even be in his presence. He settled back, still with a smug smile on his face. "Shall I inform him of your regrets?"

"Oh," Harry said, sagging a bit with relief. He hadn't expected Malfoy to actually back off but he was grateful nonetheless. He wasn't at all prepared to stutter and stammer through a lie if he'd mentioned his _thing_ for Nick. "I don't know..." He wanted to see Teddy but this wasn't exactly the best time or safest place for the little boy. "What did Andromeda say?" he finally asked, worrying his bottom lip. He would respect her wishes, regardless of how badly he wanted to see Teddy before school started up again. He felt like a kid again, almost groaning immaturely at how _long_ it seemed until then.

Draco huffed and crossed his arms, glaring at the phone on his desk. "She is completely set to allow it. Imagine, sending a child, alone, by Port-key to America," he said, a hint of a sneer on his face as he stressed the last word. He'd tried to convince his aunt to delay the trip but she wouldn't hear it. Stubborn woman. Not even when he mentioned Potter was on a case, chasing after killer Death Eaters in America. She'd had the audacity to wave him off, professing a deep trust in Potter's ability to keep Teddy safe and out of harm's way. He didn't exactly disagree, but still... _America_. Ugh.

"Hey," Nick and Hank muttered, offended at the tone. British snob.

Harry grinned at the two Detectives, tempted to flip off the mobile for good measure even if only for their amusement. "America is _lovely_ , Malfoy. You should visit; you'd like it." He laughed at the disgusted huff that came from the mobile. "I'd love to see Teddy but I'm concerned with this case."

"Yes, that was my concern as well," Draco said haughtily. Well. It was only half of his concerns. "Shall I tell her to wait?"

Harry ran his teeth along his bottom lip as he thought. He didn't want to have Teddy so close to the case but he missed him. He normally would be visiting in about a week, under ordinary circumstances. He tried to keep his visits regular and frequent. He had no idea how long this case would keep him away and the thought of postponing for weeks, or Merlin forbid _months_ , had him nearly in a panic.

"No, if she's alright with him coming, there's no reason to wait." He nodded decisively. He could and would keep Teddy safe. At all costs.

"Alright," Draco said slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You do realize, if anything happens, you have Andromeda and me to answer to, yes?" he said glaring into the mobile.

Harry snorted. He'd have himself to answer to first. He smiled a little at Malfoy's subtle way of expressing his care for Teddy. They were related by blood, not that he had always acknowledged it, and he eventually got to know and care about Teddy, too. It probably helped that his mother had practically forced a reconciliation with Andromeda and adored Teddy as well. He'd been more than a little surprised to see Narcissa so openly, and warmly, smitten with a child.

"Yeah, I know," he said and rolled his eyes. "I won't let anything happen to Teddy, Malfoy."

"I know," Draco said quietly. Teddy might as well be Potter's son. Mostly, he felt sorry for the person that dared try to harm the little boy. Potter still had a relatively short temper when it came to such things and it was more volatile when it came to those he cared about. Potter had even gone a bit mental on a suspect that had hexed _him_. He wanted to shudder; he had an idea what level of power Potter had, add in a short temper... and it would, really, be suicide to attempt anything so stupid. It was rather reassuring.

"Right. I'll keep in touch. I'll let you know when Andromeda schedules his Port-key." He nodded once and hung up, a petty thrill going through him for being the one to disconnect first this time. Last time, he'd been talking for nearly 30 seconds before he realized Potter had disconnected the call. Bastard.

Harry laughed when the mobile disconnected and slipped it in his pocket. He slumped in his chair and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, shit." How could he have forgotten about Teddy? He might not have postponed his trip here but he still felt like he should have remembered.

"Who's Teddy?" Hank asked, leaning forward eagerly. He could almost see Harry having a son. He would certainly be a cute little thing if he looked anything like the wizard. It sounded like Harry didn't see the boy often, even if he was close to him and he felt a bit bad for the guy.

Harry shifted in his seat, unsure how much to share. He didn't think either of them would think differently of Teddy to find out about his more... unusual attributes. Sure, Nick saw the picture of Teddy with blue-hair but most people assumed it was some sort of preteen rebellious dye-job. "He's my godson."

His eyes widened and he slapped himself in the forehead. "Fuck," he hissed quietly. "I need to find a hotel!" he muttered, pulling his phone back out. He felt bad enough for springing Teddy on everyone but he wouldn't just assume Nick would let him stay as well. It seemed a bit much to expect. He didn't mind, exactly. Teddy was well behaved but not many people in his line of business were all that comfortable around kids.

"Why?" Nick asked, his brows scrunching together. "It's fine if he stays, too," he said before he could re-think the offer. He didn't exactly like kids but he didn't hate them either. He had limited experience with them and he was a bit nervous. At least Teddy was older. And a boy. He wouldn't know what to do with a little girl.

Harry blinked and stared for a moment, trying to gauge Nick's sincerity. "Are you sure? It'll be for a week or so."

"Yeah, it's cool. I mean, he's like... potty trained and all, right?" Nick asked, imagining diapers or high chairs and trying not to squirm.

Harry laughed, bending over and slapping the table lightly. "He's nearly twelve, Nick. Of course he is. Merlin, he's even got his own wand," he said, wiping a tear from his eye.

Andromeda, being a Black, had insisted Teddy have a wand when he turned 7. He'd been surprised, and a bit put out, to learn most children raised in the Wizarding world -especially pure-bloods- had wands at an early age. Teddy wasn't allowed to use it without her, or Harry's, supervision but she refused for Teddy to be lacking in his magical education. His accidental magic was greatly reduced since he'd gotten his wand, which Harry thought was very clever. Now that he was officially in Hogwarts, Teddy's childhood wand was somewhere in Harry's flat, stored away like a memento.

"Anyway, it's really not an issue if you aren't comfortable with Teddy around," he said sincerely. "I really won't be offended."

"No, really. It's fine. I mean... it'll be fun." Nick tried not to grimace at the lame statement. He meant it, of course, but he had no idea what he'd do with a kid. A _wizard_ kid. He hoped the kid didn't wreck his house. Maybe he should keep the number for the closest hotel in his phone... just in case.

Harry sighed but smiled. "Alright, thanks." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling apprehension suddenly squirm through him. "I should probably warn you. Teddy isn't like most wizards. He's quite... different. Even for a wizard."

"How so?" Nick asked when Harry didn't continue for a long moment. Unless the kid ate puppies, breathed fire or something, he couldn't imagine what could be so bad.

Harry fidgeted. "Well. His parents are dead, so that's why his grandmum and I share custody. That's not the different part," he said when Nick and Hank shared a look. "His mum was a Metamorphmagus, which is a really long word that means she could change how she looked."

"Like a shape-shifter?" Hank asked, trying not to sound skeptical.

Harry nodded, a small smile quirking one side of his mouth. "Yeah, sorta. Teddy inherited that. Right now, he can only change his hair, eye color, his nose a bit and when he really focuses, he can... grow a tail." He chuckled, remembering the time when Teddy was 8 and had sprouted a fluffy dog's tail and couldn't get it to go away for almost a full day. It had been adorable to see it wag whenever the kid had been happy.

He looked between the two Detectives with apprehension, unsure how they'd react. Even in the Wizarding world, a Metamorphmagus was rare and Teddy got stared at.

"Well that's kinda cool," Nick said, eyes a bit wide. "I mean it!" he said when Harry raised a dubious eyebrow at him and gave him a look. He tried not to laugh, knowing the look was supposed to be sort of intimidating but he mostly just found it adorable. "I mean, how cool would it be to be able to do that?" he said and looked at Hank, getting a nod from the other Detective as well. Of course, both were thinking like cops; the appeal to be able to change their looks to blend in or be unrecognizable in any situation would be ideal. The ultimate disguise kit. "See? Totally serious."

Harry snorted before wringing his hands together, knowing he had to finish. It seemed very unfair to no tell Nick, at least. He didn't like the idea it might put the Grimm off or make him wary of Teddy but he liked the idea of surprising Nick even less. He'd noticed Grimm have a way of being deadly when surprised and that was to be avoided at all costs, even if he was over-reacting at bit with 'what if' scenarios in his head. "The other thing— His father was different, too."

"Alright," Nick said, hoping Harry would continue again.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes, his fingers rubbing his forehead. "His dad was a werewolf."

"Like... Blutbad or howl at the moon and eat babies?"

Harry's face screwed up and he glared fiercely across the table. Nick and Hank both flinched away. "Remus _did_ not eat babies. He was a kind, wonderful man." Nick held up his hands and offered a smile in peace. "Sorry, I'm just used to people actually thinking that; it's complete and utter _shit_. And yes. A werewolf, of the wizarding, magical variety. He was bitten as a child. Anyway, Teddy has very few traits from his father. He doesn't change with the full moon but..." he trailed off, unsure how to finish.

Teddy got a bit crankier, short tempered in the time-frame a werewolf would change. He also slept fitfully and had restless energy. Andromeda had even, willingly, signed him up for Muggle Football so he could burn off the excess energy. He slumped a bit realizing he'd missed two matches.

"But what? I was seriously kidding about the baby thing but if he's at all dangerous..." Nick trailed off, hating to remind Harry he was a Grimm. He didn't hurt Wesen without cause. He applied that to pretty much everyone these days.

Harry sucked his teeth and glared again. " _No_ , he's not at all dangerous. Matter of fact, he won't be here during that time so it's really a non-issue. He does have a very keen sense of smell and hearing, though."

He learned that the hard way and now he remembered to cast a silencing charm if he would be doing anything he didn't want Teddy to hear. He tried not to blush at the memory, shaking his head slightly to try to forget the looks of shock on Teddy's small face as well as his and his date's. The poor man had fled shortly thereafter, unable to handle the complete embarrassment and subsequent steady stream of rather embarrassing questions from a very curious 7-year-old.

"Cool," Nick said, already wondering if he could introduce the kid to Monroe. Monroe was good with kids, liked them for some reason.

"Well, lets see how many names we can cross off?" he said, sliding from the booth. Harry nodded and disabled the privacy ward before following after Nick and Hank, a hand slightly outstretched as if to catch the wobbly Detective. He rolled his lips to stifle a laugh when Hank scowled at the crutches when they briefly caught on a chair leg.

 

-=#=-

"This is seriously starting to give me a migraine," Harry muttered, crossing off more names with one hand while the other massaged his throbbing temple. Two more were found to be dead; they stumbled across the body of the last one when they went to question the Blutbad. He rubbed his temples and the back of his skill with stiff fingers, trying to work the headache away.

Nick nodded, leaning against his car as he idly watched the Coroner's van pull away from the house. "We'll know cause of death soon enough, but I can't imagine what killed him," he murmured. Looking the body over, briefly, there hadn't been any visible marks. No blood. No wounds. Nothing to indicate what killed the guy.

"They most likely used the Killing Curse. It leaves no trace at all, so I wouldn't count on having a cause to _be_ listed," Harry said and huffed. "Fucking cowards," he muttered under his breath before turning to Nick. "Can we look around the outside again? I didn't get a chance to before we had to call the body in." Nick nodded. "Brilliant," he muttered and started across the street, his eyes flicking all over as he looked for any sort of clue. By the time he was edging towards the backyard, he was ready to give up and just take his wand out to cast a very broad, but very noticeable, detection charm.

Nick watched as Harry moved carefully around the house, his eyes constantly moving and his right hand twitching on occasion. It was kind of weird to know the man was itching to take his wand out and unable to. How often did he work without it? He seemed comfortable enough doing things in what he called 'Muggle ways', though. He pushed off from his car and made his way to the house, walking past a crouching Harry to stare at the back windows.

"Is this something?" he asked, pointing to smudges that might be more of those runes. He stared when Harry smiled brightly, feeling a curious flush work through him and quickly looked back to the smeared markings.

"Yes!" Harry said and hurried over. He looked around and when he saw no other cops around, he slowly slid his wand out of his sleeve holster. "Let me know if someone comes," he murmured, and when he saw Nick nod he waved his wand in an intricate pattern, muttering softly under his breath. "Fuck," he breathed when he saw the results appear.

Nick stared at the hovering letters, seemingly written on the air itself. It was so cool. He restrained the urge to reach out and touch them but just barely. "What?"

Harry jumped a bit, almost forgetting Nick was there. He shook his head and waved his wand again before tapping his notepad. Once he checked that the results were now written in his notepad, he slid his wand back into his arm holster and waved a hand through the hovering letters, making them vanish in a puff of smokey looking vapor. He looked around and squinted at a bush a few feet away. "Tell me you see that?" he said softly, pointing to the bush.

"Yeah," Nick said, striding over and working a rubber glove onto his hand. He plucked the fluttering piece of black fabric from the bush and held it up, looking at it closely. "Did we just get lucky?" he asked, grinning at Harry.

Harry chuckled, his mind dropping into the gutter long enough to wish he'd get lucky and fought a blush. He idly wondered if there was a glamour or a charm to make that stop, it was getting to be a real problem. "I think so," he said, regretfully watching Nick slide the fabric into a plastic evidence bag.

"Don't worry, as long as you don't touch it, I'll let you check it out first," Nick said quietly, when he noticed the look on the wizard's face, leaning close so only Harry heard him. He handed the bag over and watched as the wand came back out but no floating words this time. He sealed the baggie when Harry handed it back moments later and winked before turning around and calling out one of the officers on the forensics team. "It was on the bush out back," he said as he handed it over.

Harry watched Nick talk to the technician for a moment before turning and making his way back to the car, reading over the notes he'd gotten. He felt excitement flutter in his chest. He finally got something worthwhile. The runes had been made with a fingertip. He grinned triumphantly, thanking the as-of-yet unknown wizard's ignorance of fingerprints. He didn't know if the prints were in any system, highly doubted it actually, but it was a start.

He had been quick to throw his name around to get the Ministry to start processing fingerprints. He had explained how Muggles used them and wanted to scream when eyes glazed over and ears shut. He quickly banished the grumbling rant that wanted to burst out and briskly shook his head; they didn't record fingerprints and fuming about it helped no one.

At some point Nick wandered over and was leaning over his shoulder. "Got a miraculously clear fingerprint," he murmured, looking through the rest of the charmed notes. "The magical signature is nearly non-existent though," he muttered, cursing under his breath. Whoever had left the partially drawn rune hadn't used magic, either deliberately or because of lack of time or privacy. He noted a very weak magical 'smudge' under the window but it was practically useless to him as it wasn't strong enough to even register with even the strongest detection charm.

He rolled his eyes skyward and muttered.

"That's bad, right...?" Nick asked slowly, watching Harry tense and mutter.

Harry sighed and closed his notepad, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Yeah. Though, it's likely even if there had been one it would've been useless. For a few reasons... obviously, if it's not in our system I can't identify it and trace it back to any wizard -or witch. Which could very well mean it's a fairly young person; probably just barely past seventeen."

Anyone with an Apparating license had their signature on file, so most adults were listed somewhere in the Ministry; finding it was generally the only pain in the arse. Animagi were also required to be registered, both magical signatures and a detailed description or photo of the wizard or witch in their Animagus form. Rarely did any witch or wizard master their Animagus form before the age of 25 though; he didn't know it was some sort of magical restriction or a maturity thing. A minor would be a helpful break, the ministry still kept traces on underage magic, even if he hated the thought of kids being involved.

He didn't know if the trace would extend this far but it would have been worth checking. "Shit," he muttered.

"What about the fabric?"

Harry rubbed his eyes. "It was ordinary cotton. So, that doesn't help. Nothing special about it. I was able to detect house-elf magic, but that only means it was worn and washed before." Many wizards and witches still used house-elves, so that didn't narrow it down in the least. The Ministry never bothered tracing, tracking or cataloging house-elf magic, even though he'd recommended it numerous times. He'd seen first hand how powerful the little beings were but no one else seemed to care.

He sucked his teeth and slumped a bit. "So, for all the information I got, it's pretty much useless."

"Not really," Nick started, smiling encouragingly when Harry leveled a pinched look, dripping with doubt, at him. "Well, we know it was indeed a wizard. We know they've been here recently and we know what they're using Wesen for." He fingered the plastic sheathed copy of the fingerprint, eyeing it suspiciously. "And we'll get this checked into. It might take awhile."

He didn't want to admit, out loud, to the wizard that it could take days, maybe weeks, to get anything back. Getting anything from WIN or IAFIS could be slow going—even with Renard putting a rush on it. Add in the very likely chance there wasn't going to be a match and he knew it was a long shot but he was still going to do it. He didn't want to add to Harry's bad news and just handed the fingerprint over his shoulder to Hank.

Harry blinked. "How do we know what they're using Wesen for?" he asked, nodding vaguely at the fingerprint issue. He knew it was probably going to be a dead end and he appreciated Nick not mentioning it. It almost perked him up.

"Simple," Nick said brightly and grinned. "Muscle and ingredients." Alright, maybe it wasn't exactly good news but it was better than being in the dark. He had to ask Rosalee some questions, see if she was aware of what human organs would be used for. He knew she didn't sell them anymore but hopefully she knew or at least had a book or two about it. He grimaced lightly at the very idea. "Let's call it a day," he announced and clapped Harry on the shoulder.

He dropped off Hank first, promising to keep him informed. They watched him hobble into the station and shared an amused look.

He didn't realize he'd been headed to Monroe's until he pulled up in front of the house. He got out, though. He didn't exactly want to advertise how ingrained a habit it had become. He almost felt bad until the door was opened by a grinning Monroe before he had a chance to even raise his hand to knock or turn the knob. "Hey," he said cheerfully, walking in. His guilt completely vanished when he noted four plates on the table.

Monroe held the door for Nick and Harry. "Hey man. Dude; I have got some news for you guys."

"Good or bad?"

Monroe paused and his face scrunched a bit in thought. "Uh... a little of both, I think." He shrugged.

"Alright," Nick said and sprawled out on the sofa. He scooted over slightly when Harry sat next to him and gave Monroe his full attention.

Monroe pursed his lips, momentarily distracted by the two Detectives sitting really close together on his sofa. Weird. He shrugged. "So, you know about the weirdos you've been chasing?" He looked to Harry and continued when the wizard nodded. "Well, they came into Rosalee's shop again today." He paused, trying to regulate his temper, but his eyes still flashed red with anger. "They didn't do anything," he said, raising his hands when both men stiffened.

"Just like Rosalee said, they only looked around. But man, did they give me the heebie jeebies! And they do dress funny," he snorted. This time the guy looked like he walked out of a 90s rap video, right down to the sideways hat and orange hi-top sneakers. The look was all the more ridiculous when the guy appeared to be in his late forties.

"Is this the good news or the bad news?" Nick asked, bringing Monroe's attention back to him. He wasn't sure what had the Blutbad smiling when he'd just been clenching his fists tightly moments ago.

"Uh, the good?" Monroe shrugged. "I mean, I got a look at the guy this time. I really focused on him. He was skinny, real skinny, and tall. Black hair and dark, beady little eyes. He sorta reminded me of a Reinigen, you know? He stayed to the back, giving Rosalee the evil eye on occasion."

Nick leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. "Did he notice you?"

"No, I don't think so. At least, not for awhile. But as soon as he did? He hightailed it out of the store," Monroe said, his voice a satisfied growl. "Anyway, the bad news would be when I went to visit one of my old friends and found the guy dead. We haven't really talked in awhile but I still wanted to give him a heads up about this whole weird hoodoo business."

Harry's shoulders sagged. "I'm sorry, Monroe. What was his name?"

"Andy. Andy King." Monroe wanted to wave off the concern, he hadn't seen Andy in years and the guy was always trying to get him into bad habits, but Harry looked really sorry. He gave a small smile instead, oddly feeling worse for bringing down Harry than for Andy being dead.

Nick and Harry shared a look. "We were at his house today. When did you visit him?"

"Uh, like around two?" Monroe said, his brows scrunching a bit in thought. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything, Nick, you know I normally would but I didn't want to be questioned again, man. I was going to call it in as soon as I got home but I forgot..." he trailed off sheepishly. He'd been so excited to make vegetarian enchiladas, he had completely forgotten all about Andy or calling the cops about his body. "I didn't see anything hinky, but I peeked in the window and saw him laying on the floor."

Nick nodded, that was how they'd found him. "It's fine, we went to see him too and found him. And yeah, looks like the dark wizards got him." He looked over and noticed Harry's face pinched with guilt and sadness. "Hey," he said softly. When Harry finally looked at him, he gave a small smile and nudged him with his shoulder. "We'll get 'em. I always do. Eventually," he added with a sheepish chuckle.

"Yeah," Harry sighed. "I still feel wretched about it, though. Is Rosalee here, too?" he asked. He'd noticed four place settings, too.

Monroe nodded, grinning. "Yeah, and dinner is almost ready."

Harry inhaled deeply and hummed appreciatively. "Smells good," he murmured. He grinned sheepishly when his stomach rumbled. He turned and smiled warmly when Rosalee came in, giggling softly at him. "Hullo, Rosalee."

"Hey Harry, Nick," Rosalee greeted, perching on the arm of the chair Monroe was seated in. "Monroe," she said and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. "I have a feeling you wanted to ask me a few things," she said, turning to give the Detectives her attention.

Nick went first. "What did the guy ask about today?"

"He asked if I dealt with organs. Well, he said _organa_ , but I knew what he meant. I said no and he didn't push the issue." She shrugged at Nick's questioning look. The Grimm knew she didn't sell the same stock her brother did, she didn't even bother keeping his contacts or she'd offer them over so Nick could look into who might be dealing in organs if the guy went looking elsewhere.

She looked to Harry when she noticed him fidgeting and raised a questioning eyebrow at him. "Yes, Harry?" she asked with a smile. He almost reminded her of a kid waiting for the teacher to call on them.

Harry grinned back and huffed with feigned annoyance. "Did you get a look at the wizard as well?"

"No," Rosalee said, disappointment clear in her tone. "Even though I _know_ I was talking to him, it was like he vanished from my mind the second he turned away." She looked to Monroe, "How come you could remember him?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

Monroe shrugged and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I dunno. I don't care either. I'm just glad I was able to identify the dude. Now Harry and Nick can hunt him down and kick his ass," he said, nodding his head at the Detectives.

"Sorta," Harry agreed with a chuckle but Nick was nodding decisively. He nearly rolled his eyes at the Grimm.

By the time they'd finished with dinner, Harry's mind was elsewhere again as he sat comfortably on Monroe's sofa. Dinner had been peaceful, filled with pleasant conversation that had nothing to do with the case. It had been nice and nearly made Harry forget he was there for a reason.

He looked up when Nick came in and sat next to him. "I have some names here that are a bit out of the way."

"Yeah, I noticed. I don't mind a road trip."

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "No, I can get there in no time. It'll be easier if I go alone."

"I don't think so," Nick said slowly, giving Harry a look that plainly said ' _are you stupid?_ '. He nearly reminded the wizard he didn't really have any legal right to question anyone but the case went 'unofficial' awhile ago; Harry had as much jurisdiction as he did, maybe more depending how far his Ministry's influence extended. He idly wondered if there was an American equivalent to Aurors and if Harry would contact them. Mostly, he was just annoyed to be left behind.

Harry huffed and rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure whether to be offended Nick thought he couldn't handle himself or touched the Grimm seemed to care. It was a bit of both, really. "I will literally pop in and out, so I can get there in seconds and be back before you know it."

"Really?" Nick asked softly, leaning forward. He didn't realize he was so close until Harry leaned back with a light blush on his face. "So, when you say 'pop in'...?"

"I mean it literally. It's called apparation. I can get from one place to another in seconds," Harry said, poking his thigh and then his knee in demonstration. "Erm... like teleporting?" he explained, hoping that would make sense. Nick nodded, fascination clear on his face. "Yeah, so, you see..."

Nick leaned forward again, careful to keep his distance this time. "Can I come with you? That sounds really cool."

"I guess." Harry fidgeted, a bit put out by Nick's obvious interest and lack of discomfort with the concept. The Grimm was a bit too open minded for his comfort, he sulked. "It's quite nauseating. I still feel a bit wonky when I do it."

"Can you take me with you?" Nick asked again, leaning in again.

Harry nodded with a resigned sigh, giving in before the puppy-eyes made an appearance. He sort of hated seeing them; he lost most rational thought and just agreed to whatever was being asked. He'd think it some form of _Imperious_ but it was just... hormones, really. Which was worse. He could fight an _Imperious_...

"Yeah, I can," he admitted. "Side-along isn't as bad but still... Do you get motion sick?"

"Nope," Nick said brightly, smiling broadly with satisfaction as he folded his hands behind his head and leaned back.

Harry gave him a wry look, thankfully more annoyed with the Grimm than smitten by the bright smile. He childishly hoped Nick wouldn't be so damn perky after experiencing a Side-Along.

 

-=#=-

Harry gasped with surprise when strong, warm hands firmly gripped his waist and pulled, settling him onto a firm, hard lap. He looked up into half-lidded, darkened blue-grey eyes with surprise when those hands slid down his waist, hips and thighs, landing to rest warmly on his knees. "What?" he murmured, mostly in question as to what was happening. The telly went completely ignored in the background, his attention now riveted to the sexy man staring at him with naked desire. Everything tingle sharply and he made an effort not to start wiggling like a horny dog.

"Seems obvious to me," Nick drawled, gaze roaming Harry's face. He smirked when he saw interest and surprise light up those green eyes. He shifted, spreading his legs a bit to settle Harry more comfortably. He slid his hands back up until they were pressing warmly against Harry's back. "You can say no," he said softly. He knew any submission would be completely willing and conscious since Harry could easily climb off of him. Or even punch him. It was oddly arousing to know such a thing.

Harry slowly shook his head and squirmed closer, his eyes fluttering closed when he felt a very prominent bulge press against him. "I'm not going to," he murmured.

He sighed with pleasure when he felt Nick's hands sweep down his back to settle on his arse, his large hands gripping and squeezing gently in just the perfect way to make his brain fuzz. He grunted softly and pressed closer, aching to lean down that little bit and latch onto Nick's lips. He wasn't sure what was happening though, unsure just what Nick wanted, so he didn't. But it didn't stop him from staring at the pale, full lips.

"Don't you want me?" Nick whispered, leaning forward enough to whisper in Harry's ear, delighting in the full body shudder that went through the wizard's body when his warm breath caressed his ear and neck. He squeezed his hands again, really enjoying the feel of Harry's ass. He always was an ass man, and Harry had a fantastic one. He tilted his head enough to look at Harry intently before moving to let his cheek rub against Harry's.

He felt more than saw the man nodding and slowly brought Harry's lips closer to his with a hand gently, but firmly, cupping the back of his neck. "I'm going to kiss you now," he said needlessly just before firmly connecting their lips together.

Harry arched into the kiss, moaning softly at the contact. He kissed back, enjoying the hot press of their mouths instead of trying to deepen the kiss. He squirmed again, reveling in the even more prominent bulge he could feel. He groaned softly when it made lust and heat flash through his body with a dizzying sensation, pleasure bubbling through him _everywhere_. Hands buried into his hair and he allowed himself to be moved, shifted and placed to Nick's wants.

"Fuck, you're amazing," Nick mumbled against Harry's lips. His hands itched to explore more of the compact, hard body on his lap and he looked up enough to meet lust-hazy green eyes. "Can I... touch?" he asked hesitantly.

Harry nodded. Fuck yes, he could. "Yeah," he murmured. He didn't know what Nick had in mind and he grunted softly when Nick's hands wandered everywhere; over his thighs, belly, chest, arms and arse again. Nick seemed to really like his arse, he thought with delirious pride.

His head flopped back when a hand settled over the bulge in his jeans. It was tentative and almost shy, two words he never thought he'd ever connect with Nick. He arched, pressing into the hand, silently giving consent and asking for more. He didn't know how far this would go but he'd take anything the Grimm had to offer. He'd probably feel a bit pathetic if his brain wasn't so foggy with lust.

"Yes," he moaned when Nick's hand moved in slow, almost too gentle, caresses.

"Can I?" Nick asked again, his hand hovering over the button of Harry's jeans. Sure, he'd never done this before but he really really wanted to. He grinned and pecked a quick kiss to Harry's lips when he got an emphatic nod. He focused on getting the jeans opened and barely suppressed a moan when the wizard was exposed. "Commando, huh?" he asked, his voice husky. He barely sounded like himself. He didn't care though, not when it made Harry moan softly and shiver in his lap. He just worked a hand in and tried not to react stupidly when he was suddenly staring at, and _touching_ , another man's cock. It was a bit surprising to realize he really really liked it. The warm weight fit nicely in his hand. He stood, turned and shifted just enough to bring Harry under him and pressed their bodies together.

Harry arched up, suddenly naked. Nick blinked down at him until a grin slowly worked onto his face. "Magic," Harry said in explanation. He moaned loudly when he realized he had stripped Nick completely, too. He took a moment to enjoy the warm, hard body pressed against him before he pushed on Nick's shoulder, quickly straddling the naked Grimm as soon as he landed on his back. Without pausing to re-consider, he quickly murmured two well known charms, reached back to line himself up before lowering, slick and ready, onto Nick's cock. He went slow enough to give Nick a chance to refuse but quick enough to send a thrill through his body as he sunk down.

He threw his head back, shuddering sharply with pleasure at the familiar burn and swell of the intrusion. "Fuck," he whispered.

"Holy fuck," Nick panted, his hands coming up to circle Harry's hips. He hadn't expected _that_ but he was not at all complaining. He was overwhelmed with the tight heat firmly, wetly, gripping him; he'd never felt anything like it. "Hold on," he begged, tightening his hold when Harry slowly moved his hips in a sexy little circle and went to raise up. He sighed with relief when Harry only nodded in understanding, stilling.

He had never been so close to coming so soon before. He'd be incredibly embarrassed if Harry didn't look down with contented patience, apparently used to such a reaction. Jealousy licked through him and he shook his head to rid the thoughts from his mind. Now was not the time to think of anyone else that might've been gifted with the same view.

Harry slowly rolled his hips then circled them as he watched Nick. He chuckled when Nick's body tensed and he groaned as his eyes fluttered shut. He tried not to be surprised when he was lifted and firmly placed on his back; it was an incredible turn on, though. He grinned. "Ready then?" he asked cheekily, gently contracting his inner muscles around Nick. Nick grunted and nodded and he wrapped on hand around slightly damp shoulders and the other he planted firmly on Nick's hip.

He scooted up the cushions with a moan when Nick started to move with hard, firm thrusts. He panted, trying to synchronize his movements with Nick's. He threw his head back, caught by surprise when Nick shifted him again and slammed right into his prostate. "Oh fuck, right there," he gasped, his hands dropping to Nick's arse and tightening.

"Yeah, okay," Nick breathed, trying to remember the angle and finally repeated the move. He watched intently as Harry moaned loudly, and shifted the wizard so he could touch him, running a hand down a trembling thigh. He lifted the leg, apparently going on some instinct, until he had Harry's knee practically in his armpit. It looked a bit awkward and he nearly lowered it when Harry arched and cried out, moaning loudly as his fingers curled sharply into his back before sliding up and fisting in his hair, the sound going right to his dick.

Holy shit, Harry was vocal. It only made Nick go harder and roll his hips as he sunk in deep, hoping to get more sounds out of the wizard. He couldn't get enough of those breathy little moans and grunts.

He picked up his pace when he made out 'harder' and 'faster' amongst Harry's moans, groans, grunts and pants. He leaned down, nearly desperate for a kiss and sighed when they connected, mouths hot and wet as they slid against each other. He moved until he was kneeling and settled back on his thighs, using his strength to move Harry quite easily and slid him closer, a hand running down his twitching, sweat-slick stomach. "Wow," he murmured softly, watching muscles bunch and roil as Harry's hips rolled and moved with him.

Harry's eyes rolled back in his head when Nick's broad hand swept over his chest and stomach, blunt nails lightly raking down, the added sensation was almost too much. He arched, twitching, and came with a low moan. He felt Nick tense under him and squeezed himself around the Grimm, smirking when he shouted in surprise just before he felt warmth flood him.

"Holy fuck," Nick muttered, panting. He flopped forward, trying to catch his breath, and tried his best not to squash Harry. He couldn't think of a single thing to say, or if he even should say anything. His brain was completely fried, the previously mind addling lust was gone but the sudden urge to sleep after a fantastic orgasm was crashing over him. He knew that was amazing, probably the best sex he ever had but he didn't exactly want to say that aloud, though.

He twitched with pleasure when he felt fingers gently carding through his damp hair. Everything was still tingling and singing with pleasure. He hummed softly, burrowing into Harry's neck and lazily wrapping his arms around the wizard with a contented hum.

Harry jolted awake with a groan, blinking stupidly for a minute before he remembered where he was and flopped back into his pillow. Reality smacked him in the face and he groaned again, rolling over with a petulant huff, with the realization he'd been dreaming. Vividly.

Dammit.

Now he was going to have to go about his day tomorrow, _touching_ Nick as they apparate, and trying his damnedest not to think of that bloody dream. He ran a hand down his chest briefly, it had been great, though. He stared at the ceiling and debated whether to wank away his erection or just go back to sleep and hope it went away on its own. He huffed, finding it hard to ignore the throbbing. Dammit. He gripped himself firmly but just as quickly let go, giving up. He was too bloody annoyed to wank. A first.

He snorted derisively and rolled over, drifting back to sleep much quicker than he expected.

 

-=#=-

Nick stumbled, nearly bringing Harry to the ground, as they landed with a quiet pop. "Holy shit," he breathed, rubbing his stomach. "That was... intense." He felt like he'd been pulled through a drinking straw by his belly button. He could understand the warnings Harry had been giving him but really; how can you prepare for something like _that_? He shook himself, ridding his body of the sensation quickly.

"You alright?" Harry asked softly, inspecting Nick closely. He didn't look nauseous, mostly just shocked.

Nick nodded and looked around. Wow. They'd traveled over 100 miles in seconds. Magic, he thought again, was awesome. He noticed Harry looked a little green yet and rubbed his back softly. "I'm good. You look ready to hurl, though."

"I'll be fine," Harry said, trying not to lean into the hand softly circling his back. It felt really good. "We're about a mile off from the address," he said after enjoying the soothing rub down for another minute. He nearly pouted when Nick dropped his hand and turned.

He pointed to the west. "This way," he said and started walking. He looked through his notepad as they walked. "If I got my notes right, we're dealing with another _Blutbad_. Then, a few miles away in the next town over, is a Balam." After consulting Nick's Wesen book, he figured B was Blutbad, while the Ba was Balam. It was the only Ba on the list that made sense, but he didn't know for sure.

Nick nodded. He'd have to approach carefully for both Wesen. He silently hoped they'd find both in good health.

They had.

The Balam—which he learned was a jaguar-like Wesen—had woged briefly but calmed after Nick had backed up several steps with raised hands and let Harry do the talking. Neither the Balam (a pretty, blonde woman named Kathy Wiggleby) or the Blutbad (a grumpy, overweight man named William Weber) had any contact with shady characters nor had any weird happenings go on around them. Both had taken Harry's card with a certain level of wariness and suspicion, but they'd both promised to call if anything weird occurred. Once he mentioned it would help other Wesen, both had pocketed the card and he could only hope they didn't throw it away later.

"I hope they don't let pride keep them from calling," Harry mused as they made their way back to the spot they apparated in at. "I mean, I get why they'd be wary," he said, smirking at Nick for a moment, "but I really hope they take it seriously."

He grabbed Nick gently, firmly ignoring the inappropriate little thrill that went though him at the contact. "Hold on." Before Nick could respond, he'd apparated them near the next address. A smallish town; it didn't surprise him a Wesen would feel comfortable here. They made their way to the Jägerbar's address. Hopefully, Michael Jenkins wouldn't give them a similar greeting like they'd gotten earlier.

Nick approached the door first, knocking twice. He went to knock again and the door was forcefully opened and a snarl was heard. "Hello, sir. Nick Burkhardt, Portland Police," he quickly said, holding his hands up in a peaceful way, his badge on clear display. He eyed the hulking Jägerbar warily. "I promise, I'm not here to harm you," he added when the man woged partially and gave him a hard look.

"Alrigh'," Michael Jenkins said slowly. He was actually more worried about the little guy looking intently at him than the Grimm. He tried not to hunch his shoulders as a piercing green gaze scrutinized him. Sheesh, if looks could kill... "What's going on?" he asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorjamb. "I don't get many visitors and cops even less often."

Harry pulled his notepad out and flipped to a blank sheet, clicking his pen. "Michael Jenkins?" The Jägerbar nodded. "I realize this is odd but have you had any trouble recently?" he asked, getting right to it.

"Yeah," Michael said, straightening. "I didn't mention it to anybody though," he said, looking between the two cops warily now. "I mean, it wasn't a big deal."

Harry hummed and mostly kept focused on relaxing himself, sensing Michael was still reacting to his stiff posture and unconscious flare of magic. He was still trying to calm himself from the initial reaction Nick had received. He'd had his wand out and in his hand, a hex on the tip of his tongue when Michael had relaxed.

"We're investigating similar occurrences. Your name was on a list of other... victims. Other Wesen."

"You ain't a Grimm," Michael said plainly, but not rudely, inspecting Harry. "You cops?" he said looking between the two men. They both nodded and he snorted. "Figures. You guys want to come in?"

Nick and Harry shared a look, surprised at the offer. It was a first. "Yes, thank you," Harry answered and followed Micheal into the house. He settled as comfortably as he could at a kitchen table.

"You guys want something to drink?"

Nick tried not to react negatively. "No, thank you."

"I swear, it won't be poisoned or nothing," Michael said with a chuckle. His face went serious when he noticed neither cop even cracked a smile. "Seriously, guys. I wouldn't. Well, fuck it, suit yourself. But I need a beer." He retrieved one from a cooler on the counter and leaned against the sink once he opened it and took a long pull. "So, what's going on? I don't really keep up with Wesen shit. I like being left alone."

Harry cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair, trying to get comfortable or at least appear to be. "Wesen are being targeted. So far, we haven't worked out motive."

"By who?"

"I'm afraid I can't say, sir."

Michael snorted with amusement. "Sir. That's good. Anyways, what sort of funny business should I be lookin' out for?" he asked and took another sip of his beer. He didn't like this but what could he do?

"Vandalism, trespassing. Maybe even assault."

Michael chuckled, the sound had little humor in it though. "Are these people aware of who they'd be dealing with?" he asked with a sharp grin.

"I believe they think they do but are swiftly learning a hard lesson of the contrary," Harry said, smirking a bit. He chuckled finally when Michael's mouth parted in a slight gape at him before chuckling, too. Probably surprised that a cop would say such a thing. "Still, I'd rather err on the side of caution. If you see anything, please give me a call." He handed a charmed card over, relieved when Michael read it and tucked into his breast pocket. "I can be here quickly, so don't hesitate to call, yeah?"

Michael nodded. "Yeah, alright. If I hear anything from anyone else, I'll give you a holler."

"I'd appreciate it," Harry said and stood. He stuck out his hand and wasn't disappointed when Michael immediately shook it. "If you found somewhere to holiday for awhile, it would set my mind and conscience at ease." He snorted softly when the Jägerbar looked offended. "I know, just thought I'd put it out there."

Nick stood as well and suppressed his surprise when Michael offered his hand towards him. "Mister Jenkins," he said with a nod. He let go and swiftly followed Harry to the front door. "OK, that was..." he trailed off, unable to finish.

"A complete waste of time?" Harry muttered. "Yes, but I'm quite relieved he's not been contacted. Maybe they haven't worked this far out, yet?"

Nick hummed in agreement, still surprised to have shaken hands with a Jägerbar. He chuckled. He should write that down in the family diary. "Let's get some food," he announced and grabbed Harry, waiting to be popped out. "Somewhere with burgers," he added just before it felt like they were turned inside out, yanked by the guts and spit out somewhere near the station. He glanced around the alley, still reeling from the trip, and grimaced. "Ugh," he muttered, skirting around a split open bag of garbage. "I get we have to be all ninja like, but did it _have_ to be by a dumpster?"

"Sorry," Harry said, chuckling. He felt it wise not to mention they just as likely could have ended up in the dumpster; his focus had nearly suffered when Nick pressed against him eagerly. Nick was still grimacing and grumbling as he practically ran out of the alley.

 

-=#=-

"OK, so far we've got Wesen being listed, killed or stalked. Runes suggest the Death Eaters are looking to get some free labor. What I don't get is why?" Harry mused, poking at the food on his plate. It was his second helping of something called a Bean Casserole. He glanced around the table, not really expecting any answers but hoping someone had an idea.

Monroe just shrugged, taking a large gulp of his wine.

Nick shrugged, he didn't know either. It didn't make any sense to him. "I dunno, man. Seems like a lot of effort."

"Does your uh... Ministry know about Wesen?" Monroe asked.

Harry shook his head. "Nope, I hadn't a clue until I got here and talked to Nick. I doubt anyone at the Ministry knows." Unspeakables might... Those creepy bastards knew all kinds of weird shit. Not that he'd ever get information out of one.

"Well, it would make sense they'd use Wesen in that case. Wesen aren't on your radar, so to speak. They could do whatever they wanted and no one would know about it. Right?" Monroe asked, looking at Harry. "I mean, think about it, dude. If you guys aren't aware of Wesen, they could easily work with them and it wouldn't come to your attention."

Harry sat up and blinked. "True. You're a genius, mate." He grinned for a moment. "It's sadly true. If that body hadn't been found on a wizard's property, we probably never would have looked into it. We let Muggle police handle their own cases." He twitched when he felt his charmed Galleon warm in his pocket and quickly dug it out. He read the message on it and smiled.

"What's that?" Rosalee asked, leaning closer to inspect the gold coin in Harry's hand. She blinked when the letters around the edge changed. "Wow."

Harry beamed an excited smile at Rosalee. "It's Teddy. He'll be here tomorrow." It was sooner than he expected, but he was thrilled. He laughed softly with delight and Rosalee smiled warmly back.

"Woah, you have a kid?" Monroe asked, wide-eyed. "And he's coming here?"

Harry chuckled. "No, Teddy is my godson." He wondered if Monroe had missed the picture the other night and shrugged. He didn't blame the bloke for being a bit distracted. He tucked the Galleon away and sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I was expecting him later, though. He'll be here for a week or so." His knee bounced with nervous excitement. He looked to Nick with a nervous expression. "I hope it's alright I gave Andromeda your address. Teddy will be arriving there." Nick nodded and he relaxed. "Brilliant. I didn't want him stuck at some Port-key office or something."

"Huh? How is he getting here?" Monroe asked, confused. He, of course, didn't know anything about magical travel and could only scratch his head in confusion. It didn't make any sense. Nick didn't look all that confused and he felt totally out of the loop. And a little jealous.

"Port-key. It's sort of like a teleportation device? It'll pop him anywhere in seconds," Harry said and grinned. "Magic," he said dramatically, waving his hands. He chuckled before he started fidgeting with nerves again. "Did you lot want to meet him?" he asked. "I know Teddy would enjoy meeting all of you," he added, feeling suddenly shy. He hadn't known any of them long but he already considered them friends.

Rosalee smiled warmly. "Of course. Is he going to be told about... us?"

"I don't know..." Harry trailed off. "He'll most likely know something is different about you, so I might have to tell him. Teddy is part werewolf. So."

Monroe gaped. "Like a _werewolf_ werewolf?"

"Yeah. His father was."

Monroe slowly grinned. "Wow. That's totally wicked. Does he like, change? Like into a little wolf" he asked, interested.

He probably should have realized he was asking personal questions but Harry didn't look offended or bothered. He shrugged when Rosalee glared at him, apparently she thought he was being nosy. He just gave her a look back, a bit surprised she didn't find the idea of a little wolf kid totally cool. Most Wesen children were fiercely protected from strangers, especially other Wesen, and he didn't know any Wesen with kids.

"No. But he does sort of change other things. Mostly he can control it, but occasionally he'll react without meaning to. So, if his hair changes or his eyes do, that's why. It's a very rare gift even among wizarding kind."

Monroe whistled lowly. "This kid sounds cool. How old is the little dude?" He hoped not too young, he was actually looking forward to hanging out with the kid.

"He'll be twelve in a few weeks." He laughed when Monroe whispered 'yes' and wiggled a bit in his chair. Nick was right, Monroe liked kids. He felt much better about having Teddy around for a visit. Not that he was concerned for his safety around the Blutbad, mostly just that he wouldn't want a noisy, active kid hanging around. Teddy minded his manners but he was still a young boy. The man had a lot of nice, old clocks about. He wanted to the cringe at the thought of Teddy touching one; Teddy wasn't clumsy or prone to get into things that weren't his, but it didn't take a genius to know Monroe cherished his clocks.

He turned to Nick and offered an apologetic smile. "I won't be coming in with you tomorrow." He left the 'or the rest of the week' unspoken. Nick was aware of that.

Nick waved a hand. "It's cool. We're still doin' paperwork and digging through cold cases. If anything comes up, I'll let you know." He nodded when Harry smiled. "Well, thanks for dinner, Monroe."

Harry nodded his thanks as well.

"Anytime, man." Monroe said casually. He pushed his plate away and leaned back in his chair. "Give me a heads up if you need anything," he added when Nick and Harry both stood. "Seriously, dude."

Nick nodded while Harry just shrugged. "I will," Nick said and gave a wave before leaving. "You know, I think I'll stop by Rosalee's shop tomorrow. Maybe I can wait around and see if any strange visitors come in."

"Couldn't hurt," Harry said as he climbed into the car.

He let his thoughts wander on the car ride back to Nick's. He was excited to see Teddy tomorrow but a bit worried about the lack of time he'd have for the case. It wasn't exactly moving forward but he still felt like he would be neglecting the work he'd come here to do. He let his head flop back onto the headrest and tilted his head enough to subtly look at Nick. He bit the corner of his lip to keep from grinning when he saw Nick bopping his head and mouthing along to the words of the song quietly playing on the radio. Merlin, the man was just too damn adorable and sexy for his sanity. He turned his head and stared out the window so he wouldn't be caught staring. He was already familiar with the neighborhood and sat up just before they turned the corner just before Nick's house.

Nick hopped out of the car, a bit more excited to meet a strange kid than he wanted to admit. "Hey, where are you going to put Teddy?"

"Oh," Harry hummed and paused mid-way to flopping onto the couch. "I guess he'll bunk with me. We've shared a room before, we'll manage."

Nick sat next to Harry, propping his feet up on the table in front of the couch and grabbing the remote. "Cool. But I don't have an extra bed or a cot or anything." He wished they had more time so they could get one from a camping store or something. He'd feel terrible if the kid had to sleep on the floor or smooshed into sharing a bed with Harry.

"I can make something," Harry assured. It wouldn't be the first time Teddy had to kip on a conjured bed. The only real difference is that now Harry's charm didn't wear off half-way through the night anymore. "Thanks again for being alright with Teddy staying here," he said quietly. He fisted his hand loosely so he wouldn't touch Nick when he realized he really wanted to hug him or rest a hand on his arm.

Nick shrugged and offered a smile. "It's not a problem, Harry. If he's a hooligan, I'll kick you both out to the nearest hotel."

"Deal," Harry said and laughed.

Nick stared for a moment, feeling a bit warm as he watched Harry's face light up with laughter. He really needed to laugh more, it did wonderful things for his usually too serious expression and brightened his eyes. He looked away and turned the TV on, remembering he had the remote loosely clutched in his hand. He scooted down into the couch, tucking a hand behind his head. He momentarily wondered how normal it was to want to lean _just so_ and rest himself against Harry's side. Or, even better, have Harry lean _just so_ and rest against him.

"Ugh, I can't stomach this," Harry grimaced at the reality show on the telly. He wasn't a prude, but there was only so much he could stomach of scantily clad women trying to mate with anything with a pulse and a wallet or people doing insane stunts for ridiculously underpaid 'grand prizes'. "I'm heading to bed. Teddy will be here pretty early and _some_ one has to make the coffee," he grinned and offered Nick a cheeky wink, stepping past the Grimm and missing the slightly pink tinged cheeks. He really would have felt better about being a grown arsed man blushing... and insanely thrilled to know he affected Nick, too.

Nick chuckled, thankful Harry was already half-way up the stairs and unaware of the effect he'd caused. "Oh ha-ha. It does have a timer, you know," he leaned his head back a bit and raised his voice enough to be heard.

"I know," Harry sing-songed from the top of the stairs. He wasn't going to admit he _wanted_ to do it himself, he _liked_ seeing the man's face perk up and he really, _really_ liked hearing the coffee induced moans every morning. He made a mental note to pop out and get some kid-friendly food for Teddy's visit. He wasn't a picky eater, but they'd need something besides coffee, old condiments and dodgy lunch-meats. He climbed into bed and fell asleep with a smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**Lausenschlange** (pronunciation: LOW-zin-shlo-nguh, Grimm: LOW-zin-shlong-guh; Germ. Laus "louse" + Schlange "snake") is a snake-like Wesen with forked tongues, slit pupils and scaly skin. (I was like "Holy shit, Voldemort!" when I first saw this. Heh)_
> 
> _**Reinigen** (plural: Reinigens; pronunciation: RY-ni-gin; Germ. reinigen "to clean") is a rat-like Wesen that exist at the bottom of the Grimm creature food chain, despite this, unlike fellow rodent Wesen Mauzhertz, they have no known natural predators._
> 
> _**Balam** (ɓaa-LAAM; Yucatec jaguar) is a jaguar-like Wesen. They have been known to develop obsessive behavior, specifically when it comes to any harm done to members of the Balam's family. They are extremely daring creatures that tend to act first and think later. Like many Wesen, Balam seem to have a hostile relationship with Grimms, and seem to fear them, or are at least wary of them._
> 
> _And, I feel the need to add that I did a bit of research on the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) and got a rather broad time-table on how quickly results were achieved. 'Lots of variables' was the basic answer I got. Helpful LOL_
> 
> _...And of course, the Western Identification Network (WIN), which I didn't find any time related info on. But I figured they might use it._


	4. Chapter 4

Nick awoke with a gasp. He groaned softly and felt around for his phone, squinting as the screen lit up. He groaned again; it wasn't even 4 am. He tiredly rubbed his eyes and shifted, making a quiet gasping grunt when the movement brought attention to what woke him.

He was achingly hard.

He kicked off his covers and tried not to over-think the situation, deciding to go with the flow, as his hand glided down his chest and stomach until he finally wrapped his hand around himself. He groaned again and used his free hand to bring the spare pillow over his face, turning his head away—conveniently away from the door—so he could still breath as he muffled himself. He doubted he'd be _that_ loud or that Harry was awake but he really didn't want the other man to hear him, especially if he did anything really embarrassing; like shout his name when he came.

If he knew about the silencing charm Harry habitually used, he probably wouldn't have bothered muffling himself. Hell, he might've even let himself grunt, groan and moan it like he had in his dream.

He worked himself slowly, letting the erotic images from his dream flicker through his mind: Pleasure pinked cheeks. Hard, wiry muscles. Even messier, silky black hair. Pleasure fogged, yet still brilliant green eyes. And lastly, a perky, tight ass that he left teeth and finger shaped marks on.

Fuck, it was a hot dream. He'd be lying if he said he could ever remember waking up in such a state before. It was probably a tie with when he was a teenager and he could get hard just brushing his pants off. He sighed softly into the pillow, his hand moving a bit faster as he thought about lust-hazy green eyes and his fingers twined in messy black hair. He should probably feel a bit guilty having such thoughts, but he really couldn't work up the energy for anything else right now.

He moaned softly, his feet sliding up the bed a bit as he pumped his hips in a slow, languid pace. He reveled in the lust sizzling hotly through him, nearly forgotten heat coiling low in his belly. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt anything remotely close to desire, let alone breath-stealing lust. Things with Juliette had been strained for a long time and since she'd left he had been... numb, frozen. He forced the red-head out of his mind and moaned softly when lightly tanned skin and narrow hips took her place. His hand moved faster, his thumb dragging over his flushed, leaking head and spread sticky-wetness as he stroked.

"Fuck," he whispered and went back to moving his hips, much preferring that motion. It was _almost_ like he was thrusting into someone else, not his own tightened fist.

Nick groaned a bit louder than he intended to but didn't stop his movements, too far gone to care at the moment. He was probably making more of a racket with the bed creaking than with his voice but he couldn't stop; he was so close. He twisted his wrist and cried out, the sound mostly muffled by the pillow, and everything tensed for those mind-numbing moments of pleasure. He sagged back against his bed, panting softly. He threw the pillow, not caring where it landed, on the floor with a soft 'whump'. He stroked a hand down his chest again, briefly palming his still pebbled nipples and grimaced at the mess on his belly and chest.

Now that he was thinking a bit clearer, confusion and guilt set in. "Shit." He'd just gotten off thinking about Harry. A guy. A guy that was staying with him. A guy that was staying with him and would no doubt feel very uncomfortable if he knew. He closed his eyes and threw an arm over his face, groaning softly into his bent elbow with frustration.

He didn't even want to think about how this... _thing_ he was experiencing would impact their working relationship. It wasn't exactly against any rules since they didn't technically work together but it just made things complicated. He groaned softly, feeling stuck. And more than a little guilty.

Reluctantly, he shimmied out of bed carefully and shuffled into the bathroom. He had enough time to do a haphazard clean up job and to get a bit more sleep. Maybe he won't feel like such a delinquent pervert once he'd slept on it. He snorted derisively at himself, shaking his head at his reflection. He was never all that adept at self-denial but maybe now was a good time to start?

 

-=#=-

Harry was puttering around in the kitchen. He was anxiously awaiting Teddy's arrival but he was cleaning because he was nervous and a bit concerned about Nick. The other man had been acting really odd this morning; he darted out of the kitchen as soon as he'd gotten his coffee, he mumbled a 'morning' so quickly and softly, it was hardly audible and he hadn't waited around for the breakfast Harry had been mid-way through cooking. It made Harry fret and worry. Even his first morning there wasn't that awkward.

Was Nick upset because Teddy was coming? He had said he was alright with it, but maybe he'd changed his mind. It wouldn't be the first time someone had second thoughts about Teddy after learning a bit more about him. But he thought Nick would be the kind of bloke to say it out loud, to his face, not slink around and avoid him. Was he pissed but trying not to show it? Was he disappointed that Harry would be 'off' for the next week? He didn't know and it was why even the floor was clean enough to eat off of.

He paused in the second cleaning of the cook-top and frowned. Nick had barely said two words this morning and avoided looking directly at him, too. Like he'd been embarrassed or feeling awkward about something. Maybe... He gulped nervously, wringing the sponge in his hands. Maybe his privacy charm had worn off or broken sometime during the night and Nick had _heard_ him. He flushed and dropped the sponge before falling into the nearest chair.

He hadn't been at all quiet, either. He flushed with the memory. He'd moaned, groaned, gasped and even said Nick's name. He wasn't obnoxiously loud, he rarely was, but he hadn't tried to muffle himself either. He covered his face with his hands. He wasn't embarrassed for wanking exactly, though it was a _bit_ embarrassing to be caught out, but it was mortifying to have been caught obviously fantasizing about his gracious host. Nick wasn't even gay and surely would not appreciate the attention. Harry groaned softly again, rubbing the heels of his palms into his eyes so hard he saw star-bursts darting across his darkened vision.

Shit.

It would certainly explain the awkward body language. Nick's whole posture practically screamed 'I can't even look at you right now' and it was his own damn fault. He stood quickly, knocking the chair back hard enough to send it toppling over but he didn't even notice as he ran from the kitchen and up the stairs. He nervously waved his wand around the door and his face slowly moved into a frown. His privacy ward was still intact. He let out a long, shaky exhale of relief.

Wait... What in Merlin's name was the problem then? He slid down the wall, sitting on the floor with his knees pressing into his chest. He turned his head sharply when he heard a thump come from down stairs, in the middle of the living room. He gripped his wand tightly and slowly stood up. He had adjusted the wards for Teddy, Malfoy and Andromeda, knowing one or both of the adults would surely accompany Teddy. He checked the time and cursed lowly; he wasn't expecting Teddy for another 15 minutes. A brief memory of Nick telling him how Wesen would break in flitted through his mind.

Harry slowly crept down the stairs, casting a silencing charm on his feet and a Protego around himself. He peeked around the corner by the bottom of the stairs and froze. He hissed another curse when he only caught sight of the tip of someone's fingers as they headed into the kitchen. He wasn't at all relieved to realize whoever was in the house knew their way around. He chewed his lip in thought; few people could get past the wards and no one could with malicious intent. Well, someone _probably_ could but they'd be howling or twitching in pain, not calmly walking around the kitchen. Not surprisingly, this realization didn't sooth his tense posture. He snuck across the living room and slowly peeked around the wall into the kitchen.

"Holy shit, dude!" Monroe shouted, one hand clutching his chest over his thumping heart as he caught sight of Harry sneaking around, a stick firmly held in his hand and pointed, unwaveringly, at his chest. "You scared the crap outta me, man."

Harry quickly relaxed and an apologetic grin popped onto his face as he lowered his wand, quickly sliding it back into his sleeve holster. "Monroe. Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I wasn't expecting anyone."

"Yeah, sorry. _Really_ ," Monroe said with a nervous chuckle. He didn't even want to know what Harry had been about to say with his wand pointed at him. Sure, he wanted to see magic but not that up close and personal. "I had to get something for Nick."

Harry frowned a bit. "He couldn't get it himself?" he asked, trying not to read too much into Monroe's words. Nick wasn't far enough from the station to make getting it himself a hassle or he could've called and asked him to bring it over... The idea he was being avoided kind of hurt.

"Nah, he's stuck at work. Needed one of his old Grimm books."

Harry's eyebrow rose and he leaned a hip onto the counter as he crossed his arms. "He keeps them in the kitchen?"

"No," Monroe said and snorted. He held up the book and shook it slightly. "Usually, they're in his aunt's trailer. He must have brought this one home for some light reading," he snickered, waving the large, heavy book. Light reading... He snickered again, enjoying his own stupid joke. He grinned when Harry shook his head a little and chuckled. "He keeps _tea_ in the kitchen."

Harry leaned back a bit and finally noticed the mug on the counter and the kettle steaming gently on the stove next to it. He shrugged sheepishly. "Oh. Right. Sorry." He wasn't about to comment on the rather odorous 'tea' concoction he could smell wafting from the mug.

"S'cool," Monroe said and waved a hand. As startling as it was to have been nearly whammo'd by Harry, it was nice to know the guy was willing and able to protect himself. And Nick. He hid a pleased smile as he fixed his tea, blew on it briefly and took a large gulping sip, apparently unaffected by the hot temperature. "So, when's the little dude coming?"

Harry checked his watch. "About ten minutes. If it's not urgent, you can wait." He only offered knowing Monroe was looking forward to meeting Teddy. And seeing magic.

"I can't," Monroe said regretfully, a hint of a whine in his voice. Since hearing about magic and all that jazz, he was really interested in seeing someone pop out of thin air, which was how Harry said Teddy would arrive. "Nick said he needed the stupid book ASAP." He chewed his bottom lip. "But, is it cool if I come back?"

Harry nodded, smiling. "Yeah, 'course."

"Awesome," Monroe said brightly and beamed excitedly. He slugged the rest of his tea, carefully placed his mug in the sink and gave Harry a short little salute. "Catch you later then, man." He hurried out the front door, locking it behind himself out of habit.

Harry sighed and crossed his arms, staring at the floor with a furrowed brow. He still was at a loss as to what went wrong earlier with Nick but he shook his shoulders and let it go. He'll either figure it out, or he won't; he did not want to be brooding when Teddy got here. He finished straightening up and hurried upstairs to change, nearly forgetting he was in a thin t-shirt and sleep pants. Just as he was buttoning his jeans, he heard another thump from downstairs.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed his wand again. He didn't sneak down the stairs this time, jogging noisily down the steps instead. He paused when he took in who was in the living room, a large grin breaking out on his face.

"Uncle Harry!" Teddy cried and wiggled his hand out of Draco's so he could run over and give his godfather a hug. He jumped, wrapping his arms and legs around the man and squeezed. He laughed at the breathless gasp, letting go to return his feet to the floor. "I'm here," he said needlessly, aiming a gap-toothed grin up at Harry.

Harry hugged Teddy tightly before letting go. "So I see," he said with a laugh. "How was your trip?" he asked, ruffling bubblegum pink hair. He chuckled when Teddy tried to duck the gesture, muttering about being too old for such things.

"Fine," Teddy said and shrugged. He nearly rolled his eyes; it was only Port-key travel. He didn't react as badly as his godfather and he'd been doing it for years. He released Harry when he caught sight of the big screen telly across the room. "Woah," he breathed, moving slowly across the room, Harry and Draco quickly forgotten. He sat down on the sofa, found the remote and turned the telly on after fiddling with a few buttons. He stared at all of the buttons on the remote and completely shifted his focus on figuring them all out.

Harry chuckled and finally looked to Malfoy. "Hey, Malfoy. Felt the need to chaperone, eh?"

"Yes," Draco said shortly. He wasn't going to explain himself to Potter. The bastard's cheeky, knowing grin told him it would be a futile exercise anyway. He raised his chin and fought a smile. He didn't exactly enjoy Potter being able to have such accurate insight to his inner-workings, even if it did make their sort of friendship and their working partnership easier. "Got any tea, Potter?"

Harry laughed and turned on his heel, heading into the kitchen. "Not really. I've noticed most Americans prefer coffee. There is tea, but I really don't think you'll like it." He knew for a fact Malfoy sneered at tea in bags, claiming the plebeian method made the tea 'taste wretched'.

"I'm not _that_ big of a snob, Potter," Draco sniffed. He scowled at Potter's raised eyebrow, but his lips twitched and he finally gave in and chuckled. "Oh, fine," he muttered, waving a hand. "But still, bad tea beats no tea. So, chop chop. I'm parched."

Harry snickered and got the kettle filled and on the burner. He turned and gave Malfoy a friendly smile. "So, anything exciting going on at home?"

"No," Draco said shortly, watching as the kettle started to steam and whistle. Thankfully, Potter immediately turned and emptied the steaming water into a mug, dropping a teabag in a moment later. He took the proffered mug, trying not to glower into the mug. Bagged tea. He hated bagged tea. "I'm surprised, though, that every hooligan, miscreant and ne'er-do-well hasn't decided to run amok since you're out of the country." He blew on his tea and smirked at Potter's stunned expression.

Harry blinked away his shock and then grinned. "Aw, you say the nicest things, Malfoy," he chuckled. Even if the blonde hadn't meant it as a compliment, he was going to take it as such. He shook his head after a moment; to think he might be some sort of crime deterrent was laughable. "You staying long?"

"Merlin, no, Potter," Draco said, lowering his mug. It was dreadful tea, but it wasn't nearly as bad as he expected. "I came simply to ensure Teddy's safe arrival."

Harry hummed. "You sure? I can show you around Portland a bit."

"If that was supposed to be enticing, you've missed the mark entirely, you great buffoon," Draco said with a disdainful sniff. He paused and then smirked, a bit evilly in Harry's opinion. "Is Nick about? I'd like to be shown around _him_ ," he taunted.

Harry glared, crossing his arms. "You so wouldn't, you prat. And no. He's at work." He would offer to stop by there, show Malfoy a Muggle police station but the thought of the blonde meeting Nick made his stomach knot. He _knew_ the blonde bastard wouldn't be able to help himself being a complete tit if he saw the Grimm in person. He just couldn't take that kind of taunting, not after the awkwardness this morning.

"Pity," Draco drawled and finished his tea. He leveled Potter a sincere look. "You getting on alright here?" he asked and then looked around, meaning the house and probably all of America. Potter was quite adaptable, it was almost a trait to envy, so he fully expected the man to be quite settled. But he still felt the need to ask, being partners and all that.

Harry shrugged. "Yeah. Not much different really. It's quite nice, actually. I promise," he said chuckling when Malfoy shot him a disbelieving look, not so secretly enjoying the protective attitude. "Nothing new on the case though."

"Bloody frustrating," Draco grunted in agreement and carefully ran a hand through his hair. It wasn't a first, most cases took quite a bit of time to sort through and track to the end; it was truly the most frustrating aspect of being an Auror. He could only imagine how crazy it was driving Potter if it was making _him_ rather restless. Not that he wasn't as dedicated as Potter, but he didn't take cases as personally as Potter tended to. "I see you've put up wards," he said, a hint of a smile on his face.

Harry tried not to flush. "Yeah, I always feel safer."

Draco hummed in agreement. He knew that. He also knew Potter usually only warded the room he'd be in, maybe two if he spent a decent amount of time in a 'common room'. Not an entire house and probably property, if his senses were right. It was sort of adorable, not that he'd ever say such a thing aloud. Or to Potter. "Well, you know how to contact me should the need arise." He set his mug in the sink, childishly poking out his tongue when Harry mocked him for his manners—as if he didn't know how to do a damn thing himself—and turned on his heel to go back into the living room.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, following Malfoy as he walked back into the living room. He smiled as Malfoy bent over and clapped Teddy on the shoulder, reminded him to write his Grandmother and gave a brief goodbye before activating his return Port-key, sending Harry a small wave before he popped away in a brief, bright blue flash.

"So, how are you doin' kiddo?" he asked, sitting next to Teddy and ruffling his hair. It was an exact likeness of his own now. It always amused him when Teddy mimicked him; he could almost pretend he was his son.

Teddy shrugged, most of his attention on the telly. "Good," he mumbled. "I'm hungry."

"Did you not eat?" Harry asked, turning the telly off. He snorted a laugh when Teddy's head whipped around to stare at him with incredulous horror. "Well, did you?" he asked, quite sure neither Malfoy or Andromeda would have sent the boy here without at least a snack.

Teddy nodded sheepishly. "Yeah but I'm still hungry. Or maybe hungry again," he mumbled, giving Harry an 'I told you so' look when his belly gurgled. "I'm a growing boy," he informed happily. Grandma 'Dromeda tried to act annoyed, but she still beamed at him proudly whenever he finished a plate of food.

"Fine, fine. Let's go out and get something. I want to show you around a bit," Harry announced, getting up. He laughed when Teddy hopped up with a whoop and hurried to the front door. He waited, bouncing impatiently, as Harry wiggled his feet into his shoes. "Don't say it," he said when Teddy's mouth opened. He just knew a smart comment about untying his shoes first was coming. He was reminded of Nick, the Grimm often making the same comment, and looked down to focus on his task. "Right, off we go," he said standing and grabbing a light jacket.

 

-=#=-

Hank watched Nick with a growing sense of confusion. All morning he noted the strange pattern of Nick's emotions. Well, his facial expressions. He could only imagine the emotions bubbling underneath the surface, though.

He'd stare off and then grimace.

Then he would smile, a small one that only lifted the corner of his mouth. It was quite the sight, though.

Then he would close his eyes with a sigh and look down, sometimes with a hint of a blush on his face.

And then he would grimace again, but this time looking contrite.

The cycle would start all over again, usually with Nick huffing and flopping around in his chair. He couldn't imagine what was going through his friend's head and he was torn between asking and leaving the man in peace.

Nick slumped in his seat, completely unaware of Hank observing him, and grimaced slightly as he remembered the awkward morning. He'd tried to talk himself out of behaving like an asshole but the second he saw Harry, he clammed up. Shame, regret and traitorous desire went through him and he could admit he had freaked out. He couldn't even look at the wizard. He felt a smile grow on his face as he remembered the dream.

He sighed and slowly closed his eyes, covering his eyes with a hand as he re-lived the dream—and afterwards—vividly. He tried not to, he was at work! But he couldn't seem to help himself. Then, the image of Harry's face, slightly screwed up with confused concern as he turned and paused half-way through cooking, invaded and he grimaced again feeling like a grade-A asshole. He'd barely poured a whole mug of coffee before he hurriedly slapped the lid on and ran from the house.

He cursed himself for running and really missed his breakfast when his stomach wouldn't shut up the entire way to work. He couldn't remember being such a scared little coward before and it was rather embarrassing. Just _what_ was he freaking out about? Harry? Being attracted to a guy? Really, it was surprising but not enough to have him being complete dick to the poor guy. It wasn't Harry's fault, not really, and he still felt bad for basically taking it out on the wizard earlier.

Nick groaned softly, the open file on his desk and desktop completely forgotten as the pattern repeated. By the time he'd been sitting there for about 2 hours, he looked down and closed the file and clicked his screen off with an annoyed grunt. He wasn't getting anything done and no one was even paying attention to him, anyway. He started when Hank cleared his throat and sent him a look. A knowing, concerned look.

"What's up, man?" Hank asked quietly, wheeling his chair a bit closer in a bid for a little privacy.

Nick shook his head and rubbed at his eyes. "Nothin'."

"Sure," Hank snorted and aimed a disbelieving look at his partner. "Look, it's cool if you don't want to talk about it." He held up his hands when Nick looked guilty but resolute. "But I'm here if you need me, man." He gave a sincere smile and silently hoped it wasn't some messed up Grimm shit. He was still coping with all of that, pretty well if he said so himself, but he didn't really look forward to learning _more_.

Nick nodded and flopped back into his chair. "Lunch. We need food," he said and hurriedly stood, grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair and heading out before Hank was even standing. Maybe he should tell Hank, he might understand, offer some genius insight? Sure, it would be awkward as hell, but he was pretty sure Hank wouldn't freak out. Too much. Maybe. He accepted the whole Wesen thing... eventually. And that wasn't exactly smooth and Hank still had small freak outs.

He couldn't imagine how Hank would take knowing something _else_ that would completely alter how he saw Nick. It might be too much this time. He sighed and slowed down when Hank called out, hobbling a bit as he hurried to catch up. "Sorry. Just... needed some air," he said and hurried through the main doors, breathing in the soggy air.

"You okay, Nick?"

Nick smirked. "As okay as I usually am," he said and started towards the closest diner. He smiled a little when he heard Hank chuckle. It was really the best way to answer at the moment, not that it really answered a damn thing. He settled into a table at the front and waited. Thankfully, once Hank sat down, he wasn't able to think about Harry, the dream or the awkward morning since Hank kept up a constant flood of conversation the entire time.

He was grateful and by the time an hour was up, was smiling genuinely.

 

-=#=-

Monroe knocked on Nick's door, not wanting a repeat from this morning to happen. He'd been really freaked out to see Harry looking all menacing, his wand pointed at him. If he didn't believe the guy to be some sort of super-cop, that alone convinced him. He finally got to see it, though. It only looked like a stick, which was kind of anticlimactic really. He grinned when he saw Harry peeking out of the door's window at him, quite sure the guy was standing on his tip toes so he could see out. He waved cheerfully.

"Hey, Monroe," Harry said brightly, opening the door. By the time the Blutbad was closing the door behind himself, Teddy had run over and was staring up at the tall man with an awed expression. "Teddy, this is Monroe."

Teddy gaped, his neck bent at an almost painful angle to look up at Monroe. He was tall for his age but Monroe was even taller. "Hi!" he chirped and bounced on his toes.

"Monroe," Harry said with a chuckle, waving at a nearly vibrating Teddy. He wasn't sure what brought on Teddy's excited attitude, but it was good to see. Teddy could be shy around new people, especially ones that knew about him. He tended to be wary until he knew people wouldn't treat him differently. "This is Teddy."

Monroe watched with wide eyes and a growing grin as Teddy's hair shifted through a rainbow of colors, occasionally changing in style and length, too. It finally stopped in a bright blue mo-hawk, little ear-like tufts of hair sticking up from each side of his head. It was wickedly adorable. "That is the coolest thing I've ever seen," he blurted, grinning widely.

"Really?" Teddy breathed. He probably would have worked harder to control the reaction if uncle Harry hadn't already told him Monroe knew about magic. He didn't know why the guy knew though, he'd been too distracted by some cartoon about underwater creatures to ask. Monroe nodded and he beamed a gap-toothed grin up at the man. "I didn't mean to, though. It still just... happens," he said, a bit sheepish. Grandma 'Dromeda said he should be able to control himself a bit better by now and mostly he could. He couldn't help how excited he was; he knew uncle Harry didn't have many friends and he was too excited to get to meet one. An _American_ one.

Monroe nodded sympathetically. He could understand an instinctual urge that was hard to control. "I getcha, little man. It's cool. You'll be able to manage as you get older," he said wisely. He chuckled when Teddy nodded emphatically at him. "So, did I miss lunch?"

"Yeah! We had mac' an' cheese with hotdogs," Teddy gushed, patting his belly. One of the many reasons he loved uncle Harry was because he didn't make him eat weird food. Grandma 'Dromeda wouldn't know what a corn-dog was if one plopped in her lap and started to dance. So unfair. He looked up at uncle Harry and fidgeted. "I forget where the bathroom is," he whispered, giving a sheepish look.

Harry chuckled and pointed up the stairs. "Second door, kiddo." He watched as Teddy streaked upstairs, obviously just barely refraining from grabbing himself in an effort to appear more mature in front of Monroe. "Glad you could stop by," he said to Monroe, moving into the kitchen. "Are you hungry?" he asked, wondering since Monroe had asked about lunch.

"Nah, I'm good. I didn't come to mooch food. Although..." Monroe trailed off and looked around Nick's kitchen. "I would have a hell of a payback coming if I did." He chuckled. "Not that I'm keeping track, though. I'm just saying... I feed Nick a lot."

Harry snorted and shook his head. "So I gathered." He squashed an urge to thank Monroe, unsure why he was that concerned.

"So, Teddy seems cool. Real happy kid," Monroe said, sounding a bit surprised but mostly just thinking out loud. He hadn't met many 12-year-olds and most were... moody and reluctant to be social. Especially around adults.

Harry nodded slowly and started to make tea out of habit. "Yeah, he is. His grandmother takes very good care of him."

He stared off wistfully for a moment. He'd been offered custody since he was named godfather but he'd been too young and nervous at the time and gladly supported Andromeda's guardianship, happy Teddy still had blood relatives willing to care for him. By the time he felt ready to take care of a child, Teddy was comfortable with Andromeda and he was a full time Auror.

He sighed and eyed Monroe warily, noticing the Blutbad watching him intently, a small frown drawing his eyebrows together. "What?" he asked, annoyed he sounded defensive.

"Nothing, I just didn't mean to bring up a sore subject, man, that's all."

"You didn't. Well, I mean, not really. I wasn't ready to care for Teddy when his parents died. I was young and hadn't a clue about babies. I don't regret him being raised by Andromeda but I more often than not wished I'd done some things different." He stared off for a minute. He probably would have rethought being an Auror, that was for sure; especially with the hindsight he had now. He didn't enjoy the job nearly as much as he thought he would've; only really enjoying the odd case here and there where he actually helped people. Oddly enough, he did enjoy the opportunity to get to know Malfoy better in a more mature setting.

But most cases were depressing, like his current case, and he felt useless that a crime had already happened and he was merely left to decipher clues and then punish. He didn't have a clue what else he would want to do but he stopped those thoughts, unwilling to contemplate alternatives while actively on a case.

"I'm just thankful she lets me have time with him," he finally said, looking back up at Monroe and giving a small smile.

Monroe only nodded; he could dig it. It was quite clear how much Harry loved Teddy (and vise versa) and he felt grateful to whoever Andromeda was for being understanding enough to let the two have a relationship.

Teddy streaked into the kitchen and clamped himself around Harry. "You're awesome. You'd make a good dad," he said quietly, trying to reassure the older man having heard a bit of the conversation. Uncle Harry as a dad would be completely awesome but he wasn't going to worry about it, he was happy with Grandma 'Dromeda and he got to see his godfather frequently. He patted uncle Harry's shoulder in a manly show of affection, completely at odds with the childish hug he'd just pulled back from. "I mean, you know. You're cool and all."

"Yeah, thanks, kiddo," Harry said with a slightly choked chuckle, ruffling Teddy's again identically messy, black hair. "Off," he said playfully, pushing gently at Teddy when the kettle started to whistle. He plopped Teddy in a chair. "You want tea, Monroe?"

Monroe nodded and settled himself in a chair, pulling it out enough so he could cross his legs comfortably. "Yeah, thanks. I like that herbal stuff," he said, pointing to a small, copper tin sitting far back on the counter. He grinned when Harry opened it and turned his head away sharply. "It's a special blend. Rosalee," he added in explanation.

"I see," Harry said and scooped some of the loose tea into a mug. Hopefully Monroe didn't mind a bit of sludge in his 'special blend', because he couldn't find anything to put the leaves in. "Teddy?"

Teddy wrinkled his nose and shook his head. He wasn't a big fan of tea, he drank it when Grandma made him, though. "Do you got soda?" he asked brightly. He loved Muggle soda. He turned on the puppy-eyes when it looked like he'd get a 'no'.

"In the 'fridge," Harry said with a resigned sigh. He'd only have himself to blame if Teddy was a complete handful later but he hated saying 'no' when it wasn't important. One soda wouldn't rot his teeth out of his head. Well, _more_ teeth out of his head. He grinned and pointed to his mouth. "What's the count now, Teddy?"

Teddy paused, his soda half-way to his mouth. "Two," he said proudly. "And I gotta 'nother loose one." He slowly lowered his soda and used his tongue to wiggle said loose tooth. Grandma 'Dromeda said it was probably his last baby tooth, which only stunk because he really enjoyed the Galleon he got for them.

He paused and stared at Monroe, only now noticing the man's weird scent. It was familiar but... not at the same time. He looked to uncle Harry and got a slight nod, obviously he'd noticed Teddy's nose twitching. "Are you a... erm..." he trailed off, nervously biting his bottom lip.

"What?" Monroe asked, trying not to panic. He was warned Teddy might notice. He wasn't scared of a kid. Well, not exactly. He was scared of Harry and he was sure the wizard would react like a protective mamma bear if Teddy got freaked out. "You can ask anything me, Teddy," he assured when he noticed the kid fidgeting, his nose twitching like crazy now as his eyes darted all over Monroe. Either he was looking for something or trying not to look him in the eye.

Teddy's fingers tightly intertwined and he looked at uncle Harry again. Grandma told him it was rude to blurt things out, especially personal questions. Asking if someone was a werewolf seemed like a personal question, but he was nearly bursting with curiosity. With both adults encouraging him, though, he sighed.

"Are you a werewolf?" he asked, his words coming out in a jumbled rush, looking at Monroe closely.

"Not exactly," Monroe said slowly. He looked to Harry and got a shrug. "Helpful. Thanks, man." He couldn't help chuckling when Harry shrugged again, giving him a cheeky grin this time. "Yeah, I guess that's a close enough explanation for what I am. It's a little more complicated than that, though."

Teddy stared, eyes wide, at the man next to him and scootched his chair closer. He looked him over and blinked rapidly. "My dad was a werewolf," he blurted out and clapped his hands over his mouth, darting panic widened eyes to Harry. "I'm sorry, I know I'm not supposed to say that," he whispered, his words a bit muffled since he had barely lifted his hand from his mouth. He wasn't embarrassed or ashamed about it but some people were dumb and didn't understand. Uncle Harry said it was best not to tell people unless he knew them very well.

"It's alright, Teddy. Monroe won't think differently of you or tell anyone."

Monroe shook his head solemnly. "I don't. And I won't tell anybody if you want it kept between us." He smiled reassuringly and relaxed when Teddy uncovered his mouth, revealing a big smile that he returned. "So, how did you know?" he asked, leaning forward slightly. Thankfully, Teddy didn't lean away or seem at all bothered with him getting closer. Oddly enough, the kid leaned even closer and sniffed again. It was kinda weird, but cool, to meet a kid like Teddy. He couldn't imagine why people in his world were assholes to him (at least that was the impression he got from Harry); Teddy was one cool kid.

"I could smell it. But not till just now, when I was sitting close." Teddy cocked his head a bit, his face scrunched in concentration just before his nose elongated into a more canine shape. He looked a bit cross eyed as he tried to see it but all he could make out was the darkened end of his nose. "Do you like, change and stuff?"

Monroe tried not to stare, unsure if the kid was giving himself a dog-like snout on purpose or not and slowly nodded. "Yeah, whenever I want to. Sometimes when I don't want to. The full moon, I get... edgy, though." He peeked at Harry and noticed the wizard was only watching their conversation with a small smile on his face, looking completely relaxed as he leaned against the counter, sipping tea.

Teddy nodded and let his nose shrink back, wiggling and wrinkling it a bit as it did. "Cool." He finished his soda and hopped down from the chair. "I'm gonna watch more telly!" he said loudly and hurried from the room before his godfather could say no. He found a few channels that only showed cartoons and he didn't want to miss any good ones.

"Woah," Monroe breathed. "That was— Woah." He flopped back in his chair, trying to process everything that happened in the last few minutes. He took a few sips of his tea, staring off as he thought.

Harry chuckled and rubbed a hand over his face. "Indeed," he drawled, laughing when he realized he sounded like Malfoy. He was spending too much time around the git. "Well, that's Teddy."

"Yeah, he's cool. So, he's a wizard kid, huh?"

Harry nodded. "He's mostly raised with the old fashioned pure-blood ideals, but Andromeda doesn't get too worked up when I expose him to Muggle things. He's quite... well-rounded," he said with a nod towards the living room. A 'normal' wizard wouldn't even know how to work a television. "I'm sorry if he put you on the spot. You didn't have to tell him if you weren't comfortable with it." He chuckled and gave another cheeky grin, "He has heard the word 'no' before."

"No, no, it's cool man," Monroe said and held his hands up. "I was more worried you would zap me into a frog or something for freaking him out."

Harry laughed, shaking his head. "I'm pants at transfiguration," he said reassuringly and grinned. "And I _am_ protective of Teddy but you wouldn't hurt him." He smiled as Monroe nodded firmly. "Besides, I think he'll be back and asking you all sorts of things. He's not met many other werewolves, magical or otherwise, and he'll be bursting with questions."

"Oh. That's cool, I guess."

Monroe was ready to sneak away a few hours later when, exactly as Harry predicted, Teddy had practically pounced on him and asked him questions, barely pausing for breath, for almost an hour. Once Teddy had gotten the pronunciation of Blutbad right, it just went from there. It was cute but weird. He's always liked kids and it was refreshing to be himself around one and not have them running away screaming. By the time Nick got home, he was moving around the kitchen with Teddy shadowing him, helping occasionally, and asking questions like a lawyer on crack.

"Why are you making that? What _is_ that?" Teddy asked, pointing to the pale lump of mush on the cutting board.

Monroe rolled his eyes, continuing his task of cubing the tofu. "You sound like Nick. _Because_ it's good for you," he said patiently. "And it's called tofu. You won't even notice it, you'll see." He carefully mixed together some random ingredients, silently thanking the wizard for shopping for something other than lunch meat and beer, and lowered the tofu in the brown concoction. "Now, we give that fifteen minutes," he said, wiping his hands on a towel.

"Cool. And why don't you eat Harry? Or your friend Nick?" Teddy asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He had a loose understanding of what Nick being a Grimm meant and couldn't quite grasp how they were friends. But he guessed if uncle Harry could get along with cousin Draco, anything was possible.

For what was probably the fiftieth time that day; "Because I don't do that. Anymore."

"Alright. How come you're friends with other kinds of people creatures?" Teddy asked, remembering Monroe talking about his girlfriend that was a fox. It was so cool to know there were lots of different kinds of Wesen and he hoped he'd be able to meet them. Well, the nice ones, anyway.

Monroe tried not to roll his eyes. "Because, I'm a nice person. I don't care about that stuff and Rosalee is really pretty."

"Cool," Teddy gushed. He liked that Monroe wasn't a jerk about being friends with different kinds of people. "If you bite people, do they become a Blutbad too?" he asked, looking up at Monroe with wide eyes.

"No. Like I said, it's something I was born with. In my DNA. So, no, I can't turn people. They'd just bleed. Or, you know..." he trailed off, a bit horrified he was having such a conversation with a kid. What kind of ass was he to start talking about death with a 12-year-old? Teddy didn't look at all put off though, which made him raise an eyebrow.

Teddy shook his head; he didn't know for sure but he was guessing they died. _Wicked._ "What if someone was trying to hurt your friends? Would you bite them?"

"Teddy! That's enough. Leave Monroe alone," Harry chided as he walked into the kitchen, a stern expression on his face. He sent Monroe an apologetic smile that was waved off with a good humored shrug. "Merlin, I'm amazed he hasn't bitten _you_ , you little annoyance."

Monroe almost panicked and shouted that he wouldn't think of biting a kid, when he noticed Harry was smiling. Joking around. He glared down into the marinating tofu. He should have realized the wizard was kidding. Still... "I wouldn't ever bite a kid," he pointed out.

"I know," Harry said seriously. He had a feeling Monroe wasn't always as peaceful as he was now, but he also had a feeling those times had been extreme circumstances and that was indeed generally a very nice guy. "It's really fine, you know. If I had any concerns at all... well, Teddy would be in a bubble." Or he wouldn't have let Monroe in earlier. As much as he liked Monroe and Rosalee, he wouldn't have brought Teddy around either Wesen if he had any concerns. As it was, Monroe didn't need to know he'd had a loose grip on his wand the first few minutes of him meeting Teddy. Just in case.

"Uncle Harry," Teddy whined pitifully, his hair flashing a dull green. He _hated_ the damn bubble. "He's not kidding," he pouted when Monroe laughed. "He'd really stick me in a bubble."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Twice. It was only twice and you liked it both times." Andromeda had nearly hexed him the last time when Teddy had been 6 and Harry finally gave in to Teddy's pleas to be rolled around while in the bubble like he'd seen Muggle kids do with hamsters. It seemed like fun until Teddy turned a little green and nearly vomited. He grimaced at the memory; Teddy had been taken out of the bubble just in time to avoid a very gross accident—and probably emotional scarring. "I know it seems weird," he defended to a stunned Monroe.

"He had Dragon Pox when he was three. It's a bit like Muggle Chicken Pox and just as horrible if you get exposed as an adult. I hadn't ever had it and it would've been very bad had I been exposed." He'd finally been given a vaccine of sorts when Hermione sucked her teeth in disgust and made her own when she was told there wasn't one already. Most of the Healers didn't even know what a vaccine was, so it took Hermione a few weeks to get a workable potion made. It had been a long few weeks, not being able to see Teddy.

"Yeah, Grandma 'Dromeda said his _thing_ wouldn't work right!" Teddy chirped, helpfully pointing in the vague direction of his crotch. "What?" he asked when Harry's face turned pink and he made a weird choking noise and shot him a glare. "She did."

Harry sputtered. "I'm aware she did," he finally managed. He groaned softly. He shouldn't be surprised when Teddy blurted out embarrassing things but apparently he still was. He had hoped Teddy had outgrown that habit. He never knew when Teddy would happily chatter away about something he didn't know was mortifying. He'd announced Harry's latest break-up over dinner. A Ministry dinner. "I've asked you not to say things like that."

"I didn't say it! I said _thing_!" Teddy defended.

Harry snorted. "You can say _that_. I don't care if you say cock, dick, willy or penis. I meant, talking about _mine_. I've said it's rude." He ignored Monroe's shocked laughter and glowered at Teddy playfully. "You keep it up and I'm sharing every embarrassing piece of information with the first witch you bring home." Or wizard, he mentally added but didn't say.

He nodded firmly when Teddy gaped up at him incredulously. "Oh, I'll do it. I vividly remember your first bath, the time you first had solid foods and even the first time you tried to morph a body part..." he trailed off, willing to add to the torture and nearly giggled at his godson's horrified expression. He should probably feel bad for threatening a child, but Teddy was old enough to understand his point. He nodded again when Teddy's shoulders slumped a bit.

"Uncle Harry," Teddy whined again. "I didn't do it on purpose! I didn't know it was rude." Of course, now that he thought about it, he would be totally embarrassed if someone talked about _his_ willy. "Er, sorry," he said quietly.

Harry just nodded, thankful it was only them in the kitchen. He'd probably will himself to melt into the floor if Nick had been about. As if he summoned the man by thinking about him, they all turned towards the doorway of the kitchen when they heard a throat being cleared. "Hey Nick," he said as brightly as he could. He looked away, trying not to frown when Nick absently waved and walked back out again.

"What the hell was _that_ all about?" Monroe mused aloud, rather confused by Nick's abrupt appearance and slightly rude disappearance. "Rude much. Hard day at the office?" he asked no one particular. He didn't notice Harry's sad frown as he turned back to the stove.

Teddy rushed from the room, intent on finding the new person. He saw the same man standing awkwardly by the steps, his head turning with indecision as he looked between the stairs and the kitchen. "Hi!" he said and rushed over. "I'm Teddy."

"Uh, hi. I'm Nick," Nick said and offered his hand. He couldn't help smiling when Teddy took his hand with a look of excited pride. He tried not to stare when he noticed the kid's eyes were a light shade of purple before shifting to a very familiar shade of green. Sure, Harry had warned him but it was something else altogether to actually witness such a sight. "Settling in okay?" he asked after a moment, feeling awkward again.

Teddy nodded emphatically. "Yeah, thanks for being cool with me staying. Uncle Harry almost canceled my visit," he said with a sad pout. He brightened almost immediately, missing Nick's startled look. "You've got a wicked telly!" he praised.

"Thanks, I guess," Nick said slowly. He barely watched the thing but it was nice to know Teddy liked it. He looked up and had to really work at suppressing the urge to bolt when Harry eased into the room. "Dinner almost ready?"

Harry nodded and focused on Teddy. "Go wash up, kiddo." He watched Teddy scramble up the stairs before looking back at Nick. He sighed and turned away, heading back into the kitchen when Nick immediately looked away and started poking at his mobile. "Right," he muttered to himself. He nearly bumped into Monroe. "Sorry."

"It's cool. What's up, man? You look like someone killed your puppy," Monroe teased. He blinked, confused and a bit concerned, when Harry looked away and shrugged. "Well, uh. Dinner's ready. It's best when it's hot."

Harry nodded and focused on setting the table. "Is Rosalee coming?" he asked, hoping the Fuchsbau would be coming as well as wondering how many plates to get out. He was mostly looking forward to there being more adults around, hoping it might diffuse some of the lingering awkwardness.

"Nah, she's working late tonight. Inventory or something."

Harry nodded again and forced himself to sit so he wouldn't putter. He smiled when Teddy bounded back into the room and sat next to him. "Hungry?"

"Yeah!" Teddy whispered loudly. He didn't know if he'd like the weird thing Monroe made, even if it did smell pretty good, but he knew he would have to try it. He looked up when Nick came slinking in. He narrowed his eyes and tried not to be over-protective of his godfather when he saw the man grimace slightly as he looked at uncle Harry. He watched as Nick took the seat next to him, the only one that didn't face uncle Harry or put him next to his godfather, and focus on playing with his fork, his eyes down and avoiding uncle Harry as well. He wondered why the guy let uncle Harry stay with him if he didn't even like him. Adults were weird.

Monroe paused, taking in the uncomfortable atmosphere and cleared his throat. "Well, dig in," he said, setting the last bowl on the table. He helped himself to rice and the tofu stir-fry, trying not to fidget and squirm. What the hell did he miss? "So, busy day, Nick?"

"Nope," Nick mumbled, stuffing a forkful of food in his mouth. He tried not to notice Harry looking at him. He felt like a complete worm when the guy quickly looked away, a mixture of relief and concern on his face. "'S'good," he said to Monroe around his mouthful.

Monroe grimaced. " _Dude_. There's a kid present. Manners, man," he reminded, his eyes darting to Teddy. Luckily, Teddy didn't appear that impressionable as he was eating with a politeness he didn't see in many 12-year-olds. Now that he had tried the food, and liked it, he was eating heartily but still politely. He grinned. "I told you," he sing-songed, winking at Teddy, nodding at Teddy's almost empty plate.

"Yeah, it's really good," Teddy agreed once he swallowed, shifting in his chair so he could reach the serving spoon and get more. "I'm asking Grandma 'Dromeda to get some tapoo."

Monroe laughed. "Tofu, little man," he corrected gently. "Uh... do you guys have that sort of thing?" he asked, remembering tofu was more than likely a 'Muggle' thing and probably not exactly easy to find for a wizard. It still blew his mind that simple things like cars, pens and TVs were unknown to the magical world. So weird.

"I dunno," Teddy shrugged and tucked more food in his mouth. He swallowed before continuing. "If not, she can totally get it. Grandma 'Dromeda can get _any_ thing," he said, his voice tinged with smugness and pride that had Harry chuckling. She was, in her words, influential and wealthy; nothing was out of her grasp. He rarely acted like a spoiled git and demanded things, Grandma 'Dromeda nipping at little habit when he was 3, but Muggle things were about the only things he pestered her for.

Harry snickered. "She usually just asks me." He nodded when Teddy gave him a questioning look.

"Aw man, I could just have been asking _you_ all along?" Teddy groaned dramatically when uncle Harry nodded again, grinning. "Grandma makes me practically beg and treats me like her own personal slave for a week!" he pouted. He brightened quickly though; uncle Harry wouldn't make him grovel, especially if it wasn't something outrageous.

Nick sat, as quietly as he could, and tried not to be noticed. He was still feeling awkward and guilty, having not had the courage to talk to Hank about his problem and slinking away from Harry once again. He wasn't sure it would've helped to talk with Hank or he probably would have. He caught himself smiling as Teddy chattered, mostly to Monroe, but occasionally to Harry. The kid was cute, especially when he changed himself to mimic Harry's eyes or hair, and he found himself liking the kid quite easily.

"Hmm?" he hummed when he realized he was being spoken to.

"I asked if you're an Auror, too?" Teddy repeated, his green eyes wide with curious excitement. The green quickly shifted to a matching blue-grey as he looked at Nick, waiting for an answer.

Nick shook his head, wondering how often the kid's eyes would change in a given day. "No, not really. I'm a cop."

"Muggle Auror," Teddy countered, raising an eyebrow in a strangely mature move.

Nick nodded and shrugged one shoulder. "Sure, sorta." He blinked as the little boy gave him an openly appraising look. He resisted the urge to glance at Harry, mostly to ask what the kid was doing. He finally did and forced himself not to blush when he noticed Harry was looking at him intently, lips lightly pursed as if pondering something. "What?"

"Nothing," Teddy said and waved a hand. He nearly smirked, his grandmother was Andromeda Tonks and his cousin was Draco Malfoy, he knew how to appraise people and make them sweat and squirm. He didn't exactly know why Nick was being mean to uncle Harry but he did know he was otherwise a nice guy. This was probably one of those times he should keep embarrassing questions to himself, even though he was practically itching to ask all sorts of things. He knew uncle Harry would go all pink though and maybe even make him go to bed early if he didn't mind his own business and blurted anything out.

He focused on eating, asking Monroe questions whenever his mouth wasn't full. "Can I see it?" he asked, after fidgeting and unsuccessfully trying to keep the curiosity at bay.

Monroe blinked before shooting worried glances at Nick and Harry. "Uh, see what, little man?" he asked, already having a very good idea. It made everything in him squirm with apprehension and nervousness.

"Your wolf," Teddy said a bit slower than normal, as if explaining something complex to one of his little cousins. "You can do that right?" he asked. He knew there was a word for it, uncle Harry had said it when he was out of the room, but he couldn't remember it. He peeked at uncle Harry, gauging silently whether the question was out of line or not. He sat back a bit when he was given a stern eyebrow raise but he wasn't being told not to ask, so maybe it was alright.

Monroe kept looking between Nick and Harry, his eyes wider than usual as he tried desperately to read the situation. Neither of them were helpful though, both shrugging at him in response, leaving the choice solely up to him. Dicks. "Uh..."

"Please?" Teddy begged, giving his best puppy-eyes at Monroe. He didn't know if it would work but it was worth a try. "I won't be scared," he said firmly, figuring that was the cause for Monroe's uncertainty.

Monroe snorted a laugh before he could help himself. "I don't know..." he trailed off, wringing his hands. He didn't mind showing off a bit. It hurt a little but he mostly didn't want to actually scare the kid. Adults pissed themselves pretty regularly. "You ever see a dragon?" he asked suddenly, remembering they were real in his world.

"Yeah, of course," Teddy said, blinking at the random question. "Uncle Charlie took me once. I got up so close, I was able to help uncle Charlie tag one of the Welsh Greens!" he gushed. "It's a type of dragon," he explained when Monroe gave him a confused—but still awe filled—look. The question finally made sense and he sent the Blutbad a gap-toothed grin. "See? I didn't wet myself around a dragon, so I won't be scared."

Monroe snorted again and shook his head. "I'm really not supposed to just woge in front of people, little man."

"I won't tell anyone!" Teddy promised, leaning closer. He did the puppy-eyes again, letting them shift to a bright, grass green. No one could resist the green puppy-eyes. He nearly whooped triumphantly when Monroe looked away with a resigned groan. "Wait. Are you gonna to get in trouble?" he asked quietly, the thought suddenly occurring to him. He looked at Nick with wide eyes. "Will he?"

Nick slowly shook his head. He wasn't a ruling force for Wesen but it was kind of cute Teddy thought so. "Not by me."

"Sweet! So?" Teddy looked back to Monroe, wiggling with barely restrained excitement.

Monroe fidgeted, unsure what he should do. He really didn't want to disappoint the kid but he also didn't want to scar him for life, either. "You, uh, ever seen a werewolf before?"

"Yeah," Teddy said. "In books, mostly, in my Care of Magical Creatures and DADA classes. And uncle Harry knows a few. He helps give out Wolfsbane to them," he said proudly, beaming a smile at his now blushing godfather.

He thought it was really cool his godfather did that, since the Wolfsbane potion was expensive—not to mention, extremely difficult to brew—and many werewolves couldn't afford it. He thought it was dumb to make something so important so expensive. He only saw one werewolf up close and personal in his entire life. He hadn't been scared though. He'd been behind on of uncle Harry's powerful Protego shields but even if he wasn't, he probably wouldn't have been too scared unless he was by himself.

"So, please? Please please please?"

Monroe groaned and rubbed at his temples. "Fine, fine. You can't turn me into a frog if he gets scared though, alright?" he said, pointing at Harry with a shaky finger. He sighed with relief when Harry immediately shook his head. "Or like, turn my junk into daisies or anything else to harm my person," he added after a brief pause.

"Alright," Harry said after he stopped laughing. He never thought to transfigure someone's bits into flowers.

Monroe took a deep breath and looked at Teddy sideways. "Alright, just remember— it's just me, okay?" Teddy nodded and he focused intently. He felt the ripple of sensation work across his face and he looked over at Teddy for all of three seconds before quickly woging back again, shaking his head as his features changed back.

"Woah," Teddy breathed, fascinated. Monroe had been a _little_ scary but that was only because Monroe's eyes glowed red like a creepy vampire. Otherwise, he thought it was cool. "Cool!" He looked closely at Monroe and tried to imagine him in woge again. He could kind of see the wolf in him but otherwise, he was just plain ol', nice Monroe. "Does it hurt?" he asked, realizing Monroe was still breathing a bit heavily.

"Not exactly. Well, a little. I was mostly concerned you would— You really weren't freaked out?"

Teddy shook his head. "No way! It was so cool! Do you always look so wicked?"

"Uh, probably," Monroe said with a shrug. He was still shocked the kid was completely unaffected. Maybe it was the ignorance of youth? Hank had nearly pissed himself. "So, you're not scared?"

Teddy tried not to give Monroe a rude 'duh' expression. "Nope." His brows wrinkled together for a moment and his ears shifted, elongating and pointing a bit until they looked like small canine-like ears. "Are they like yours?" he asked, lifting a hand and feeling the shape. He couldn't tell just by feel though and pouted a bit.

"Yeah, Teddy," Harry said when no one else would answer. Monroe and Nick were both staring with fascination and gaping a bit stupidly. "Pretty good," he praised. "A bit longer and pointier," he advised. He laughed when Teddy puffed his chest out with pride and the ears changed a bit more to look more wolf-like. "Andromeda is going to skin me if you do that around her," he said with an eye roll. The woman was sharp and would undoubtedly figure out Teddy had been around a werewolf or a wild wolf to have learned the shape so well. Teddy could mimic pictures fairly well, but she knew him well enough to recognize when he would be going by personal experience.

Teddy shook his head, his ears shrinking back to their normal shape. "Nuh uh, Grandma 'Dromeda encourages me to practice," he said, a bit smugly.

"Ah, yes, but she'll be skinning me when you go and blurt out you met a werewolf, bullied him into changing and then copied his ears."

Teddy opened his mouth to argue but shut it again. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Alright, I won't practice it where Grandma can see me."

 

-=#=-

The next week, unfortunately, flew by. They saw everything Portland had to offer and frequently stopped in to visit Rosalee, the Fuchsbau quickly becoming one of Teddy's favorite people (and vise versa). By the third day of Teddy's visit they were easily able to talk Rosalee into closing the shop and joining them for a long lunch. It turned out to happen everyday for the rest of the week; they'd either go to a nearby restaurant or have lunch in the back of the closed shop.

Teddy loved the shop and he liked to look around at all of the interesting items Rosalee sold. It almost reminded him of the apothecary cousin Draco visited frequently for potion supplies. There were no living ingredients, though, thank Merlin.

Teddy hadn't complained when Harry cast a heavy glamour charm on him whenever they went out; he would have definitely been noticed when his hair went bubble gum pink when Harry walked him through the Police Station, keeping him to all the public areas and lifting him up to peek into the windows to see the Muggle cops. He frowned sternly when Teddy made a joke about it almost being like a trip to the zoo and they left before Harry could run into any of the officers he knew.

As they walked around, Harry wished he'd checked the local magical community for a Muggle warded park. He loved flying with Teddy and they'd had quite a few perfect days for it. He was pretty sure Teddy would make a fine Seeker or a fantastic Chaser with the way he flew.

Mostly they just hung around the house and enjoyed spending time together. Teddy's travel Wizarding Chess set came out quickly and Harry tried to pretend he'd let Teddy win most of the games, grumbling under his breath that Teddy had been playing with Ron too much. Harry didn't let it bother him though; he'd been beaten by Rose -Ron's little girl- when she was 4, so his pride was already in tatters when it came to chess and he just enjoyed watching Teddy giggle as each of his pieces were smashed and dragged (or kicked) off of the board. It was much more fun to watch Teddy and Monroe play, the Blutbad more enthralled with the moving pieces than actually playing.

The spare room Harry and Teddy stayed in was heavily warded and Harry took the opportunity to teach Teddy some of the essential spells, charms and hexes he knew were tame enough to teach a boy at his age. Teddy was a fast learner and powerful enough to make Harry beam with pride. He'd known Teddy had potential when his accidental magic bursts as a child made Andromeda's eyebrow rise. He itched to teach Teddy more advanced spells but it could wait.

Harry had enjoyed his 'week off' with Teddy and was trying not to pout the day before Teddy was scheduled to Port-key home.

He had managed to keep a silencing spell around his bed, thankfully, and hadn't woken Teddy last night with... inappropriate noises. He felt like a bloody teenager again, and a massive pervert, when he woke up trembling and so aroused his pajama pants were a painful trap. He had managed to sneak into the bathroom before anyone else woke up and took a lingering cool shower, too worried he'd be caught to wank. He cursed himself more than once for leaving his wand behind and not casting a silencing charm so he could just be able to be done with the problem. He'd been a bit grumpier that morning but thankfully Nick and Teddy both just assumed it was because of Teddy's leaving tomorrow. It sort of was and he felt no need to explain further.

"Do you have everything, Teddy?" Harry asked, helping Teddy pack. He couldn't help smiling fondly as he packed Teddy's things into his leather satchel. He'd given it to his godson on his 5th birthday, ignoring everyone that thought it was inappropriate—or too mature or boring—for such a young boy. He'd put an enlarging charm on the inside, finally wheedling the charm from Hermione, and it was practically bottomless. He was proud Teddy had taken such good care of it and still used it. The protective charms had it looking like new, but the leather was softer with wear.

Teddy looked around the room and nodded. He grabbed a pile of t-shirts and handed them to his godfather with a big grin. He'd gotten a 'Portland, wow!' t-shirt for Grandma 'Dromeda. He couldn't wait to see her reaction when he gave it to her. She'd either accept it politely and 'accidentally' lose it on a washday or she'd sneer outright and chastise him for getting her such a 'Muggle, plebeian' thing. He giggled; both outcomes would be funny.

He snuck something out from under his pillow and handed it to Harry, trying not to blush. "I got you something," he said quietly, shifting from foot to foot.

"Really?" Harry asked, taking the package. Teddy nodded shyly. "You didn't have to get me anything, Teddy, but thank you," Harry said graciously and looked at the sloppily wrapped package. He smiled, touched to know Teddy had wrapped it himself. "Should I open it now or save it for some special occasion?" His birthday wasn't for another awhile yet and he didn't think Teddy would give him a gift this early.

Teddy shifted on his feet again, chewing his bottom lip. "Now," he said. He usually had Grandma 'Dromeda help him owl gifts for holidays and his godfather's birthday if they weren't spending that week together, so he really didn't have to get him something for later. He waved a hand impatiently when Harry just stood there, grinning at him. Adults were so _weird_ sometimes. His nerves were overshadowed by annoyance now. "C'mon, open it," he huffed.

"Alright, alright," Harry chuckled and carefully tore into the package. He vanished the paper and turned the box around, looking at it. "I love it!" he teased, stroking the heavy black cardboard with admiration.

Teddy rolled his eyes, smiling despite himself. Adults were _so_ weird! "The gift is _inside_ , uncle Harry."

"Right," Harry said seriously and lifted the lid. "Oh! Wow, Teddy!" he said, sincerely touched, as he pulled the necklace out by the pendant. It was a carved wooden wolf about the size of a Galleon. He rubbed the varnished dark wood with a thumb. "A wolf, huh?" he asked with a smile.

Teddy shrugged. "Yeah. It just seemed perfect, so..." he trailed off. Not only was his dad a werewolf, he knew uncle Harry's animagus form was a wolf. A huge, black timber wolf, to be more specific. He'd been thrilled to find it at Rosalee's shop. "Do you like it?" he asked nervously. He watched as his godfather just continued to look at it, a puzzling expression on his face. He wasn't making any moves to put it on.

"I do, it's perfect. Thank you, Teddy," Harry said, bringing his blushing godson into a tight hug. "I'll always wear it."

Teddy squeezed Harry back tightly, willing himself not to cry like some stupid little _baby_. He'd see his godfather again; if not at the platform when he left for Hogwarts, definitely for the Christmas holiday. "Good. I had cousin Draco charm it."

"Really?" Harry said, pulling back slightly. He loosened an arm and held the necklace up, watching it sway slightly with the movement. He wondered when Teddy had the chance to get Malfoy's magic into it but didn't ask. It wasn't important and Teddy would probably claim it was some Black family secret or some such rubbish. "Is it safe to wear then?" he asked with a chuckle. He was teasing and Teddy's eye roll let him know Teddy was aware of it, too. They both knew Malfoy wouldn't harm him, not anymore anyway.

"Yes, _really_. I asked for a really strong protection charm," Teddy admitted quietly. He hated how dangerous his godfather's job was, he wasn't afraid to admit he feared losing him, too. He knew Harry was powerful and did most spells by instinct—some even wandlessly—but he also knew it only took being caught by surprise once...

Harry swallowed past a lump in his throat, feeling a bit blind-sided by the sudden wave of love and regret. "Thank you, Teddy," he said again and slipped the necklace over his head. The leather cord was just long enough, the wolf rested just below the neckline of his shirt. He shook his head with a grin when he felt the warm tingle of Malfoy's protection charm wash over him. So odd that he'd find that sensation soothing and comforting.

That night, they'd talked Monroe into ordering pizza, Teddy's absolute favorite thing ever, apparently, and they all enjoyed the 'farewell' dinner. He nearly lost it when Teddy had given Monroe and Rosalee tight hugs and his currently green eyes were bright with unshed tears. He tried to convince both Wesen they didn't have to woge 'one last time' for Teddy's amusement, but they both had, much to Teddy's delight. Even Nick had laughed when Teddy clapped and cheered, his ears shifting to mimic the Blutbad's perfectly this time.

"You take care, sweetheart," Rosalee said, sniffling softly as she hugged Teddy tightly. It wasn't a secret how much she adored Teddy and the feeling was mutual; Teddy adored Rosalee as well and made it just as clear. He nearly had Monroe huffing with jealousy a time or two when he caught the young wizard snuggling _his_ Fuchsbau. She laughed with delight when Teddy's ears morphed into little reddish-brown fox ears and she rubbed one fondly.

"You will write?" she asked, still sounding unsure. She really didn't know how dedicated a 12-year-old would be to writing letters, but she liked the fact he offered; it showed how sweet Teddy was.

Teddy nodded sincerely. "I will. I'm used to writing letters. We don't have email or texts and all that cool stuff," he said, shrugging and rolling his eyes at the complete _lameness_ of the Wizarding world. "Er, you guys won't freak out if it's sent by an owl, will ya?" He didn't think they'd like, eat it or anything but it might be weird for them to get a post owl at their window.

"Uh," Monroe said slowly. "No? I mean, just mail it, little man."

Teddy snickered and nodded. "I suppose it'll be easier on the owl, anyway." He made a mental note to get Grandma 'Dromeda to pick up Muggle stamps, grinning at her expected response. He hurried to the door when he heard his godfather clear his throat, waving as he rushed over. "Bye guys!" he called out, barely catching up as Nick and Harry hurried to the car. "What's the rush?"

"You're already up past your bedtime," Harry said, giving Teddy a stern look. Also, he hated goodbyes, but he wasn't saying that aloud. He'd been near tears like some hormonal witch when Teddy and Rosalee had their moment. "C'mon, kiddo. You've got an early Port-key," he said, buckling himself in. "Buckle up," he reminded as Nick started the car. Teddy did and sighed, propping his chin on his fist and staring out the window. He was really going to miss Portland almost as much as he'd miss his godfather.

Thankfully, they weren't far and the ride home took less than 10 minutes. Harry felt a bit bad it was after 11 by the time he got Teddy to bed, indulging him in the drawn out hug ritual, well aware Teddy would out-grow it soon. He couldn't help grinning when he realized _he_ wouldn't have to deal with a cranky, sleep deprived Teddy.

He was sprawled out comfortably on the sofa when Nick came into the room. "Hey," he said lightly, his attention quickly returning to the bright screen. As much as he wanted to stare, Nick's hair was an adorable mess, the Grimm was still acting jumpy, but thankfully not as bad as he had that first day a week ago. He never did figure out what the problem was.

"Hey," Nick said quietly, settling down on the other side of the sofa. He plunked his feet up on the coffee table and took a long swallow of his beer. "Oh, shit, did you want one?" he asked, tilting his bottle slightly. Harry shook his head and he focused back on the TV. He sighed and finally looked back over at the wizard after trying to ignore Harry staring at him. It was impossible, though. "What?"

Harry tried not to blush at being caught out staring, he hadn't meant to let his attention drift from the telly. "Nothing. I'm just— Did I say or do something to upset you?" he blurted out. He hadn't had a chance to pin Nick down the entire week, just letting it go and kept focused on Teddy after the second attempt, but he couldn't hold it in anymore. He narrowed his eyes when he noticed a faint blush on Nick's cheeks and the Grimm looked away.

"No."

Harry snorted and shifted on the sofa so he was facing Nick. "So, what's the problem then?"

"There isn't one," Nick said as calmly as he could. He groaned softly when Harry's eyes narrowed even more. The guy was pretty bad at lying but able to smell one a mile away. "Look, it's kind of... embarrassing." Harry just stared expectantly. He softly cursed, knowing he'd either have to leave the room, and the issue unresolved, or come clean. Neither option was all that appealing.

"I thought you'd heard me doing something... personal." Alright, come half-way clean; he was good at half-truths. There was no way he would give any further details.

Harry's brows furrowed for a moment before he burst out laughing, quieting himself with an effort at Nick's disgruntled look. Right; wrong reaction one wanted to get when caught wanking. "Oh. Well, I didn't, so don't worry about it." He nearly groaned aloud, wishing he _had_ heard such a thing and immediately felt like a pervert, shifting a bit to hide the nearly instantaneous reaction he had. "And besides—" He paused and shrugged, "It's not anything to be embarrassed about, mate. Everyone does it," he said and refrained from winking. Or leering. Or offering to help.

Ugh, _he_ needed help.

"Yeah, but..." Nick started and then bit his lips to shut himself up. No details, dammit! "Right. Of course. I'm just used to being alone."

Harry nodded, wondering how the man managed during the months he lived with Monroe, but didn't ask. "So, you'll pull the stick out of your arse now?" he asked cheekily. He grinned when Nick shot him a glare. "What? Unless you like the stick in your arse—" he teased, raising his hands, "then by all means."

"Shut up," Nick laughed, despite himself. The unwanted thought of 'it's not a stick I'd like in my ass' drifted through his mind before he could stop it, he felt his cheeks warm and looked away. Thankfully, the awkward air was mostly cleared and he was finally able to relax again. Sure, he hadn't been exactly truthful about his issue, but enough to know Harry didn't seem bothered by it. He felt relieved that Harry's first day back again wouldn't be weird. He'd missed the wizard at work the past week, and as glad as he was Harry got to visit with his godson, he was thrilled he was going to be back with him. And Hank, of course.

"Oh, that reminds me," he said, turning towards the wizard. "Wu let us know about the vandalism reports."

Harry tried not to gape. "When?"

"Uh." Nick paused, squinting one eye slightly as he thought. "Two days ago?"

Harry glared lightly. "Why didn't you say anything before?"

"You had Teddy here, man. It wasn't big enough to bother you."

Harry huffed and tried not to cross his arms or stamp his foot like a child. "I understand but _that's_ why I'm here, Nick. It's important and Teddy has seen me read reports before."

"Oh," Nick said, feeling a bit like an ass. "I didn't mean to withhold anything, but like I said, it wasn't big. Only one was those freaky runes and we talked to the guy, got about the same story as Samuel Pillar."

Harry sat back and closed his eyes, rubbing at his temples, trying not to be annoyed all over again at the lack of new information. He didn't need to take that out on Nick. "Right. Good. But _fuck_ ," he hissed quietly. "Another dead end." He punched his palm and glared at the telly. "Who was the victim?"

"A Blutbad named Maria Klinger."

Harry pursed his lips. "The name doesn't ring a bell." He sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "After Teddy leaves, can we check her out again? I'd like to look around."

"Yeah, sure," Nick said immediately, nodding. He blinked when Harry abruptly stood. He almost thought the wizard had sensed or heard something until he stretched with a jaw-cracking yawn. He tried not to stare at the gap between his shirt and pants, eyeing lightly tanned skin and the barest glimpse of a dark trail of hair. He smothered the urge to lick his lips and looked away, hoping he looked very interested in the TV.

Harry slumped forward, scratching lightly at his side. "Right. I'm knackered. 'Night Nick," he said and headed up the stairs. He briefly caught Nick giving him a smile with a short wave and felt like a simpering schoolgirl when it made his pulse quicken. He rolled his eyes as he hurried up the stairs, he was such a sap. He was just relieved they'd resolved the strained atmosphere. And that was it.

 

-=#=-

Harry followed Nick along the now familiar path to the front door. He had been getting mixed signals all day and hung back a bit lost in thought.

On one hand, he got the feeling Nick was interested in him. Nick would look at him and his looks lingered a bit too long and he touched him more than it seemed he had to. Small things but he noticed, even if he felt like some teenager with a crush. Nick didn't have to touch him when he walked a bit too close, but he did. Or when Harry was sitting, he'd hover over his shoulder, more often than not, leaning on him in some way. His favorite was when Nick's chest would be pressed against his back as the man read reports over his shoulder. He nearly shivered in memory. Monroe and Rosalee both dropped none-too-subtle hints to him earlier that he found hard to ignore. Even if they had smelled... interest wafting off Nick, it didn't exactly mean it was because of _him_. As much as he'd like to believe otherwise, he wasn't all that sure.

On the other hand, he was just as sure Nick only saw him as a new friend and a competent cop. And that was it. He knew enough about the other man to know Nick would respect those qualities and he wasn't going to ruin anything by making a foolish move on the Grimm. He could probably take him, physically, if he were to do such a stupid thing and Nick reacted violently but again, it would definitely make things awkward and possibly shatter any relationship they had built thus far. He enjoyed having Nick as a friend too much to risk it.

But the risk... it was _almost_ worth it if it did work out. He shook his head, trying to sort the thoughts out. It was going to drive him spare. If he had more hands, he'd point out the very temporary situation he was in, as well. Portland was Nick's home, not his, he thought morosely.

A quick flash went through Harry's mind of Nick smiling. Nick laughing. Nick's gorgeous blue-grey eyes alight with humor or half-lidded with exhaustion. He could almost see what they'd look like if he were aroused instead of tired. Merlin, the man was just too damn good looking for his sanity.

His breath left him in a quick rush when he bumped firmly into Nick's back, his hands coming out automatically to brace himself. He snatched his hands away when they landed on Nick's hips, fighting a flush. "What's wrong?" he asked, subtly reaching for his wand, looking around Nick for any signs of trouble. Why did he stop like that?

"Are you okay?" Nick asked, turning a bit to look at Harry. He had noticed the wizard trailing behind him, walking with his head down, and it was disconcerting. He chastised himself; Harry was allowed a moment of self reflection, the wizard wasn't required to be constantly giving him his attention. He was glad it was dark out when he felt his cheeks warm with a blush; he still felt warm and oddly tingly where Harry's hands had been on him and he watched Harry's Adam's apple bob in his throat and his teeth worry his bottom lip. He resisted the urge to wet his lips as he imagined nibbling both.

Ugh. He needed to get such reactions under control. _Now_.

Harry nodded, tucking his hands into is back pockets. "Yeah, sure. Just thinking."

"Oh," Nick said lamely, feeling very intelligent. He continued his progress up the walk, eyeing Harry from the corner of his eye. The wizard was back at his side, his easy gait keeping up with him and he nearly sighed with relief. It was weird to have Harry lagging behind him, he'd gotten very used to him sticking at his side. "Need help with anything?" he asked, peeking at Harry from the corner of his eye again. Since they'd had their little talk, he'd mostly gotten over his feelings of awkwardness, guilt and embarrassment. It was a lot easier when he got the idea maybe Harry wouldn't mind as much as he first thought. It was only slightly awkward now because they worked together. And the guy was living with him for awhile. It didn't make him freak out again but he kept the walls up, just in case.

Harry looked over and gave a crooked grin, unaware how it sent Nick's heart rate into overdrive. "No, I'm good. It's a... personal problem," he said and waved a hand dismissively. "I'll sort it out eventually."

"Oh," Nick said again, trying not to frown. He unlocked the door and motioned for Harry to enter, vaguely aware he was watching the smaller man's ass as he moved past him and into the foyer. He tore his gaze away and closed the door, trying to keep his mind out of the gutter. What sort of personal problems could Harry be having? Did he miss Teddy already? He couldn't blame the guy, if that were the case. He'd gotten used to the kid being around.

Harry hadn't mentioned any relationships back home. He only talked of family and his Auror partner, and he didn't get the impression they were anything more than friends. Did Harry meet someone here? He had noticed a few cops, men and women, giving the wizard an appraising look. He frown lightly when he realized he had been glaring back at those looks, irritated and angry they had the nerve to look. He could look; _they_ couldn't.

He nearly groaned aloud at the thought, unsure why he was thinking such things.

Harry watched Nick as he stood still in the foyer, his brow furrowed with concentration as he leaned against the closed front door. He shrugged to himself and flopped onto the sofa, looking for the remote as he got comfortable. It had taken nearly two weeks, but he did feel comfortable here. Not Put-Your-Feet-On-The-Coffee-Table comfortable, but he didn't worry about stealing the remote or throwing his jacket across the arm of the sofa anymore. Nick was a very welcoming host. He flipped through the channels, long ago coming to enjoy American telly, and stopped on a cartoon show. Noticing he was still alone, he looked away from the rambling cartoon squirrel. "Are you alright?" he called over to a still frozen Nick.

"Yeah," Nick said, shaking his head. "Can I ask you something?" he asked as he stepped closer, perching himself on the arm of the sofa and looking at Harry with interest.

Harry shrugged and muted the telly. "Sure. What's up?" he asked, turning to give Nick his full attention. He nearly took out his notepad, expecting this to be about the case. He hadn't felt so stuck in quite some time and it was driving him spare.

"Are you gay?" Nick blurted. His eyes widened a bit and he nearly clapped a hand over his mouth. He hadn't meant to ask that at all and he didn't know why he'd asked so... rudely. Or directly. He meant to gently ask about what was bothering the wizard or if he was interested in any one or maybe just ask how he was liking Portland.

Harry shrugged again, a small smile on his face. It felt frozen, his heart thumping almost painfully as he tried to sort out why Nick was asking. "Yeah." He looked at Nick and tried not to misread his reaction when the Detective looked away and shifted nervously. "I didn't hide it and I hope it doesn't bother you." He resisted the urge to worry his lip, he didn't want to look nervous or unsure and he certainly didn't want Nick to think he was doing anything inappropriate. He nearly made a joke about not wanting to molest him but he was a terrible liar. He really didn't want to open that can of worms, not with the awkwardness creeping back.

"No!" Nick said quickly, a bit louder than he intended. He grimaced. God, he sounded like such an ass. "Uh... I mean, no," he added, in a more normal tone. "I was just wondering," he said and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that. And it doesn't bother me. I was just unsure."

Harry chuckled and wagged a finger at Nick playfully. "I knew I should have worn my pink robes."

"You have pink robes?"

Harry doubled over in laughter. He couldn't help it. "Merlin, no. I was being sarcastic, Nick. People tend to be surprised since I don't wear pink robes or do any of that other... gay stuff they see on the telly." It was quite annoying, actually, but he didn't say that aloud. He supposed some people thought it was some sort of compliment that he didn't 'seem' gay. He nearly rolled his eyes.

"Oh." Nick felt like an asshole now. "I knew that. I didn't mean—" He huffed out a breath and rubbed a hand over his face. "Sorry. I fucked this up. I'm cool with it, so."

Harry smirked and shifted on the sofa, looking at the telly again as he hit the mute button again. He lowered the volume a bit and gave Nick a cheeky wink. "Well, thanks for being cool with it," he said dryly. He didn't exactly hide his annoyance, but it was there. Ever so slightly buried under amusement.

Nick tried not to gape, feeling even more of an ass now. He hadn't meant to imply anything. He was nervous! He'd been feeling... things and it was scary and a relief at the same time to find out some things weren't as impossible as he once thought. "Sorry," he said again. "I— Look, I didn't mean that like you need my approval or anything. I just meant..." he trailed off, feeling himself digging a deeper hole.

He huffed out a frustrated breath and dragged a hand through his hair. "Dammit. I'm going to get a beer. You want one?" he said, getting up and hurrying into the kitchen. He heard a faint 'Sure' and grabbed two.

He paused and took out a package of ham and cheese too. He liked Monroe, he really did, and the man could cook like a pro but he missed eating meat sometimes. It was good to be home where such things existed. Even if in small quantities since he hadn't been shopping since the first day Teddy had been here. "You hungry?" he called out, opening the ham and eating a slice right from the package. He might have bread for sandwiches...

"Yeah," Harry said from the doorway, trying not to grin at Nick; he was mid-chew and giving a sheepish deer-caught-in-headlights look. He thought it was cute. He shook his head and snagged his beer from the counter, twisting off the cap and tossing it across the kitchen and into the trash. "I can make something, if you like? I can cook, you know."

Nick fought not to say something stupid, knowing he'd blurt out some lame comment and just nodded, swallowing the lump of chewed ham hastily. He knew Harry could cook, he has had the pleasure of experiencing the results before. His stomach grumbled and he grinned sheepishly when Harry snickered at the reaction. "Yeah, that'd be great. I don't know exactly know what I have..." he trailed off, looking around the kitchen. He didn't exactly make a habit of visiting the grocery store. Harry did a little shopping that first day, and 'popped' out for essentials when needed, but they hadn't eaten at home much. They either grabbed something while they were out or mooched dinner from Monroe. Coffee, ham and ketchup would hardly make for a gourmet meal.

"No problem," Harry said, brushing past Nick and peeking in the fridge. He raised an eyebrow and gave Nick an amused look. "Is this it?" he asked, pointing at the numerous beer bottles, half a lemon and a browning package of hamburger.

Nick nodded and shrugged. "I might have some noodles somewhere..." he trailed off, a pensive look on his face. "No. Wait. No noodles. Ate those last week."

"You're hopeless," Harry said, trying to keep the fond amusement from his tone but failing, and closed the fridge. He didn't want to offer to 'go out', fearing Nick would take it the wrong way. He certainly wouldn't disagree with a date with the man but he had a feeling Nick would stammer and stutter his way though a refusal. He nearly groaned aloud; what made him think Nick would immediately assume it was a date? He was starting to lose it. "You've got take-away nearby?"

Nick's brows furrowed for a moment, deciphering what Harry meant, before a grin popped on his face. He'd probably get used to all the different sayings and little quirks the wizard had right before the man left. "Yeah, a few places close by deliver. Pizza or Chinese?" he asked, sorting through a stack of menus like a deck of cards.

"Chinese," Harry said and pulled the menu closer with a finger as he took a long sip of his beer.

Nick watched Harry look through the menu and cleared his throat. "Or we could eat there. It would be faster instead of waiting for it here or getting it and bringing it back."

"Brilliant," Harry agreed with a smile. He hurriedly finished the rest of his beer and went to get his coat. He tried not to feel like a giddy third-year; this was _not_ a date. They were not _going out_ to have dinner together. They were just eating and it was most convenient to go there. That was all. By the time he had worked his feet back into his shoes, Nick was waiting by the door, fidgeting with his keys. "Is it close enough to walk?" he asked. He could use the extra time to sort himself out again.

Nick stared before nodding. "Yeah."

"Brilliant," Harry said again and smiled with relief. He patted his belly and groaned. "I can work it off later, too." He never could control himself when it came to Chinese food and always ate way too much.

Nick didn't comment. Other ways of working off dinner flashing through his mind and brought a sudden flush of heat sizzling through his body. Dammit. So much for controlling his urges. He nodded dumbly and waited until Harry passed him out the door before locking up. He set off, smiling a bit as Harry was back in stride with him.

"How did that lead pan out?" he asked after a few minutes of silent walking. He hated the idea of letting Harry check out a lead by himself but the wizard had insisted it was safer that way. Wizards could put up protection and he had recoiled at the notion of anyone else possibly getting hurt.

"It didn't," Harry said with a low growl. Nick twitched as the sound went right to the base of his spine and settled there warmly. "Bastards had buggered off sometime before I got there. I think they knew I was coming," he said and looked up at Nick with irritation.

He went alone simply because Nick wasn't used to apparating, and it was safer; it was easier to hide the presence of one person easily enough, two was tricky and he wasn't willing to risk either of their safety. Plus, he wasn't really all that sure how to dampen (or better yet, completely mask) the man's Grimm-ness. It just wasn't worth the risk in his opinion.

Nick knew the irritation wasn't aimed at him, he _knew_ that, but he flinched anyway. The look had Harry's eyes narrowed a bit and the green he saw was dark with... something. He ignored the reaction his body had and nodded. "Probably did. Aren't you like a ninja?" he asked, miming purposely terrible karate moves. He grinned when Harry laughed; the wizard was well aware he was actually quite adept at martial arts. "Can't you sneak into places? Move like the wind? Be invisible?" he asked, waving his hands dramatically.

"Yeah," Harry laughed. "I've gotten very good at being a _ninja_. I'm able to dampen my magical signature and apparate without a sound. So, they couldn't have sensed me _or_ heard me. I popped in far enough away I would have been outside any wards," he mused aloud.

Even the most paranoid or powerful wizard can't extend his wards over a certain distance. He'd gone nearly a mile out just to be safe. By the time he felt the wards, they had been dismantled, already unraveling, having been removed when the Death Eaters left. He made a mental note to see if Captain Renard would approve a sweep of the area for any possible leads to the next location. The man was surprisingly cooperative, even if he was quite sure it had more to do with the Grimm walking beside him than any real desire to cooperate with the Ministry.

He smacked a fist into his palm and growled again. He looked up at Nick, pinning him with an intense look. He had been so close! "Have you noticed any Wesen watching me closely? Any that seem overly interested?"

Nick nodded automatically, caught by surprise. He had noticed more than Wesen looking at the wizard. "Yeah. A few. Why?" he asked warily, unsure how the wizard meant his question.

"Spies," Harry said shortly. "Someone has been watching me and reporting back to the Death Eaters. It's the only thing that makes sense."

"Maybe," Nick mused before stopping and turning to Harry, his head cocked slightly. "I thought you could sense them, too?"

Harry shrugged one shoulder. "I sorta can. I can't see them like you do. I feel a... tingle when they woge. I don't think I'd be able to tell from far enough away, though." He stuck a hand out at arm's length, indicating how close he needed to be; not very far at all. He took his notepad out this time, making a note to check with Malfoy for any spells that might help him detect a Wesen. Or maybe just anyone with creature heritage. Malfoy was such a swot for research; it wasn't a surprise he got along so well with Hermione these days.

"Oh," Nick said and continued walking. Well that answered a few questions. "You don't see them?"

"Not really. If I'm close enough, I can sometimes see like a... superimposed image over their face. It's not exactly clear but it gives me a sense of what they are," Harry explained. "I saw Monroe the clearest." He turned and looked at Nick curiously. "Is he a particularly powerful Blutbad or something?"

Nick shrugged. Monroe always claimed to be an average Blutbad, not that he agreed. Though, if he was more powerful than any other, he really didn't know. Harry just shrugged back and they continued on in a comfortable silence.


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner had been nice.

Really nice. Nick needed to remind himself a few times he wasn't on a date, which was a bit embarrassing on later reflection.

It had been really nice to see Harry so relaxed, though, so he had tried to keep any awkward thoughts to himself and any stupid actions in check. Staring, ogling, squishing the urge to touch the wizard and (embarrassingly) flirt were all thankfully caught and wrestled to the ground before Harry could notice. He felt like a complete tool, but he had to wonder why the urges kept popping up.

They had amused themselves with a game of 20 questions while they waited for their food and Nick, belatedly, realized he had asked more questions than he answered. He idly wondered if he was just more nosy... er interested than Harry was or if the other man was that private. He had learned quite a bit about Harry, though (so he wasn't really complaining). Interesting things that he probably never would have found out if they'd been sitting at the table at Monroe's house. He wasn't sure why but that made him feel rather warm, knowing Harry was more comfortable telling him personal things.

He wasn't sure what it _meant_ , but he liked it.

It didn't escape his notice that neither of them asked about past relationships (but he did find out more about Teddy's habit of blurting out embarrassing things; in a round about way leading Harry to vaguely discuss an ex-boyfriend that hadn't lasted long) and he wasn't sure why it annoyed him as much as it relieved him. Sure, he didn't exactly want to dredge up the whole Juliette thing (it was still a bit tender and he really didn't want to remind Harry he was a complete noob when it came to being interested in men) but he was itching to know what sort of man Harry usually dated or was interested in.

OK, he was itching to know if he measured up. It was bemusing to feel so squirmy about it. He wasn't over-confident (though he knew he was attractive) but he also wasn't used to doubting himself, either. He hadn't been so damn nervous since he was a freshman.

He caught himself staring at the wizard sitting across from him quite a few times; focusing on how his dexterous hands worked the chopsticks or watching intently as Harry's tongue would dart out to catch random drips of sauce from his lips or the corner of his mouth. He had to clear his throat and look away when his mind rocketed straight into the gutter and he envisioned those hands and that tongue doing other things.

It didn't exactly hit him as a surprise to find himself ogling the other man, he'd had awhile to come to terms with the concept (and his attraction) by that point and it no longer freaked him out. He just wasn't sure if Harry was interested; either he wasn't or he was very good at hiding it if he was. Monroe had kindly pointed out that just because Harry was gay (which he hadn't known until recently and found himself wondering how Monroe figured it out _and_ felt the need to keep it to himself) did not automatically make him covet his ass. He had grinned, enjoying the (probably deliberate) misuse of the phrase, and reluctantly agreed.

Yeah, he knew that and he wasn't assuming that. He was more than a little annoyed Monroe thought he would think such a thing. He hoped the occasional lingering look he caught the wizard giving him meant Harry _was_ interested (it confused him that he was irritated the man didn't blatantly eye-fuck him so he would _know_ once and for all) but he was a bit nervous to just ask outright. Especially if Harry said no. He knew the guy would be nice about it but it would make things very awkward, nonetheless.

Nick turned as soon as Harry was in the house, the door closed and locked behind him, and studied the wizard. He didn't realize he'd been standing there for several moments, crowding Harry as he stared. He did notice Harry looked on the verge of fidgeting, though. It was rather adorable. The guy was usually unflappable, a real stoic presence, otherwise and he found it perversely encouraging.

Without giving himself time to rethink, he surged forward and pinned the smaller man against the door—his hands braced against the door on either side of Harry's head. He took the barest second to study Harry, immediately taking in and filing away the surprised but very interested look Harry gave as he looked up, and dipped his head down and pressed their lips together. He tried really hard not to grunt with pleasured surprise when he was immediately kissed back, their lips pressed together almost chastely at first, and Harry's hands gently came up to rest against his chest. He made a pleased humming sound in the back of his throat to feel those hands pressed warmly against him.

It was thrilling on so many levels: He knew Harry could throw him off if he wanted to but instead Harry's hands were fisted in his shirt, ensuring he couldn't back away—not that he wanted to. He rejoiced in his head at _finally_ kissing Harry; he had been itching to for days and it was better than anything his imagination had ever managed to come up with. He had never kissed a man before and it was surprisingly soft and passionate but so different to feel the slightly forceful way he was kissed back instead of just being submitted to. He also felt a jolting, tingling, pleasurable zing work through his entire body that he idly attributed to Harry's magic.

It was exhilarating and he briefly wondered if everyone felt this way when kissing Harry but pushed the thought aside quickly when it brought a surge of irrational jealousy with it.

Harry responded to him with enthusiasm, just as Nick knew he would; Harry wasn't a restrained kind of guy. The possibilities made heat flash through him everywhere. He opened his mouth enough to slide his tongue along Harry's rather plump bottom lip, nibbling it gently as he slowly pulled back, regretfully, his lungs burning and his chest heaving. Even breathing through his nose hadn't given him enough air and he wondered just how long they had been pressed together, kissing. He threaded a hand through Harry's messy hair and the other was wrapped tightly around the wizard's waist. He took a moment to enjoy the way Harry was touching him; one hand buried in his hair and the other cupping his neck. He groaned softly when he felt fingers flex and heat sizzled through him with the simple touch.

"Okay?" he asked quietly, looking intently into dilated green eyes. He was asking so many things in that one word and when Harry looked back, he saw it was understood.

"Yeah," Harry said with a slight nod and rose on his toes enough to be able to kiss Nick again. He moaned softly into Nick's mouth when hands tentatively slid along his back and sides. He pressed closer, making the invitation clear. A hand slid up to gently cradle his jaw and fingers were twisted in his hair. He sighed at the sensation; it felt wonderful.

Merlin, it has been too long since he was touched like this. He squirmed against Nick, wanting more.

"You can touch me, where ever you want," he urged softly, nipping gently at Nick's neck. When Nick nodded, he slowly moved his own hands over Nick's back and rubbed at his shoulders before sliding his hands down his arms. He nearly moaned; Nick was perfection. His head dropped back bonelessly and he moaned softly when shy, tentative fingers ghosted just under the waistband of his jeans, lightly calloused fingertips fluttering against the heated skin of his stomach.

Nick tried not to blush or hesitate but he felt like an awkward virgin. He guessed he kind of was. He stood back long enough to pull Harry's jacket from his body and stepped closer again. The feel of a firm chest against his was odd but quite welcomed. It felt really, really nice. He closed his eyes and let his hands wander, feeling the hard-yet-soft contours of Harry's body. There weren't curves, just angles and lithe muscle covered with smooth, soft skin; that felt really, really nice, too.

He didn't realize his hands were under Harry's shirt, his fingers gliding up and down Harry's ribs and nipples until he heard a soft, choked pleasured moan. A sexy, low pitched moan that he really wanted to hear more of. He opened his eyes and saw Harry's eyes were half-closed, his mouth slightly parted and his head was back enough to expose his neck. It was fucking sexy and he felt himself twitch with interest.

He had no idea what he was doing but he let his instincts take over and mentally shrugged when he was drawn back to Harry's lips. Kissing him was fantastic. He licked into the wizard's mouth and moaned softly at the fierce, passionate way Harry kissed back. It wasn't passive and it wasn't wet or messy, either. It was damn near perfect. He pulled away again but only long enough to kiss down Harry's jaw and neck, nipping and licking the lightly tanned skin. He even tasted good. His head swam with the heady scent of musky, masculine skin. It was surprisingly erotic.

"Nick," Harry breathed, feeling his knees go wobbly as Nick's teeth and lips attacked his neck. He was quickly surpassing 'interested' and into 'full on hard' and he didn't know where exactly this was leading. As much as he would enjoy letting Nick do whatever he wanted, he didn't want to rush anything.

He wouldn't be able to stand it if Nick got embarrassed or overwhelmed and pulled away. A large, warm hand slid across his belly again, a pinky teasing at the waistband of his pants and his resistance wobbled dangerously. He pressed a hand on Nick's shoulder, gasping when his collarbone was nipped hard, trying to keep upright. Warm hands were splayed on his back and neck, pressing him firmly against Nick's solid chest and it was almost dizzying.

"Stop," he said gasped when hands cupped his arse.

The reaction was immediate; Nick dropped his hands, pulled back and gave him the most apologetic look Harry had ever seen and he felt regret and affection squirm though him. He hated to stop but he was quite thrilled (and more than a little relieved) that Nick looked just as reluctant, too. It took every ounce of his restraint not to ogle the Grimm's pants, inspecting them for a bulge. He really, really wished he had focused more on bringing their hips flush earlier.

"I'm sorry," Nick whispered, running a hand through his hair with a sheepish expression.

He hadn't meant to get so carried away. He was seconds away from sliding a hand down the front (or back, either would have been fantastic) of Harry's pants. He resisted the urge to adjust himself, afraid it would only stimulate things. He didn't exactly feel embarrassed if Harry knew he was turned on and he kind of wished he had taken the time to check.

Harry shook his head, smiling, and stepped close enough to rest his hands on Nick's chest and softly kiss his chin. "No, you're fine. Trust me, I didn't want to stop but I don't know how... okay you are with everything."

He subtly chewed at the inside of his cheek, a little worried Nick would come to his senses and be grossed out. Nick didn't _look_ disgusted, but it was hard to tell with his flushed face and slightly widened eyes just what was going through the Grimm's head. Of course, he didn't think Nick would have kissed him back (and rather vigorously feel him up) if he didn't like it, at least a little bit. No one was ever that hard-up for action they'd heatedly kiss someone like that unless they enjoyed it. Maybe. His brain was fuzzy and way too buzzed with hormones to think all that clearly.

"I'm very okay with it," Nick said, grinning lazily. He saw Harry was serious and cleared his throat, subtly shifting in his pants. He filed away the knowledge that simply kissing the wizard (and a little feeling up) had him hard and focused back on the smaller man. "Really." He closed the minuscule distance between them and cupped Harry's face gently, kissing him with series of quick of pecks and nibbles that quickly turned into another brief heated kiss.

He pulled away again, softening the kiss before grinning again. Harry looked really good all dazed and flushed.

"I rarely think things through," Nick said, chuckling when Harry nodded, a quirk of his lips hinting at a small smile. They had that trait in common and it was amusing as hell to both of them. "But rarely am I wrong, either."

Harry nodded, swallowing with some effort. "Yeah, alright," he muttered and just stopped thinking. He didn't completely submit, but when Nick pushed, he relented. He didn't really want to fight him and he was happy to do whatever Nick wanted. He felt Nick's hand sliding down his sides and cup his arse lightly. He pressed closer and grinned when those hands kneaded gently, almost in a testing way, before sliding down to his thighs and lifted. He was picked up and he immediately wrapped himself around Nick, grinning when the Grimm softly chuckled, sounding right pleased.

They landed on the sofa a moment later, the cushions soft and cool against his back and Nick's warm weight pressing pleasantly on top of him. He arched up, unable to keep himself from pressing his hips into Nick's and smirked triumphantly at the reaction; Nick's eyes fluttered closed, his head dipped down a little and a guttural moan rumbled through their pressed chests. "Like that?" he whispered, truly curious. He felt a bit stupid for not realizing Nick was actually attracted to him before. It was quite obvious now. He felt a laugh try to bubble up but squished it when he felt the Grimm shudder with pleasure; it wasn't a funny situation, it would've been a sound of relief and delight, but he wasn't sure Nick would take it that way.

"Yeah," Nick groaned and leaned back down for a heated kiss. He lost track of how long they were pressed together, making out like teenagers, but it was pretty much the best thing ever. He gasped softly when Harry arched against him again, their clothed erections pressing together firmly. Ah, correction; _that_ was the best thing ever. He closed his eyes and groaned again when Harry continued the movement; it was rapidly driving him crazy. Not only did it feel amazing but the added thrill of feeling _Harry_ rocking against him, hot and hard, had him moaning and burying his face in Harry's neck. It was quite revealing to realize he'd probably come in his pants at this rate.

Harry had a very hard time restraining himself from going further (having to bury his hands in Nick's hair so they wouldn't drift to his zipper or slide down the front of his pants) but it was tempered by the none-too-surprising fact he was able just enjoy the heated kissing and roaming hands. He tried not to be surprised to have Nick pressed against him, but it _was_ surprising.

He almost thought he was dreaming again, but the warm hands running along his sides and hips were very real. "Nick," he whispered between kisses. He felt more than heard Nick's answering hum. He gasped softly when Nick's hand slid down to his thigh, under his arse and pressed him close. "Are we seriously making out?" he murmured quietly.

"Yeah," Nick grunted softly. He was probably more surprised than Harry at the development but he was not at all sorry about it. "We totally are." He leaned up on an elbow and looked down, licking his lips. "Too soon?" he asked after a long moment studying Harry. The wizard was a bit flushed, his lips were slightly puffy and damp and there was a very pleasant hardness pressing against his thigh. It took a conscious effort not to start grinding and wiggling against him. Before Harry could get his mind to work, which looked to be quite the task if his muddled expression and hazy eyes were anything to go by, he continued quietly.

"I'm not sorry, though," he said sincerely. Sure, it was a completely unexpected and entirely new experience to be kissing a man, a _wizard_ , but he was really not that concerned with those small facts. Maybe he'd been thrown too many unexpected things recently to freak out and over-think the idea of being attracted to a guy. He didn't know and he wasn't all that concerned with thinking it through. He went with his instincts, like he usually did, and they were very OK with what was happening.

Harry sighed and went limp under Nick. "I have no idea," he finally muttered. It didn't answer Nick's question or his last statement but it was the truth nonetheless. He didn't know if he felt guilt creeping in because he had 'corrupted' a straight man or because they (sort of) worked together. Both were entirely new situations for him. It was all just so confusing at the moment and the raging hormones weren't making anything clearer. "I don't regret it either," he said softly and cupped Nick's jaw when the Grimm started to look worried. The half-lidded eyes and the way his teeth worked his bottom lip would be adorable and more than a little arousing if it weren't for the fact he knew both were results of insecurity.

He sighed with regret, hating himself a little for having such stupid morals at a time like this. He hated the idea of pushing Nick too soon but he was just as reluctant to make the man think he was being rejected. "I guess it might be a bit soon..." he mused, his thumb absently stroking along the slightly stubbled edge of Nick's jaw.

Of course, he had slept with people he had known a lot less than he's known Nick, but the situation was decidedly different. He _liked_ Nick, in so many different ways. He respected him, too. He had no idea if it was headed into a more serious direction or not and it kind of scared him. Mostly, because he was completely unsure how Nick felt. Physical attraction was one thing, he couldn't deny it was there, not with the proof pressing pleasantly into his hip. (He was also a bit hesitant to act as some sort of experiment for the Grimm, too. That never worked out well...) But he didn't know if it went further than that for Nick and it was... daunting.

"I'm sorry," Nick said and dropped his eyes from Harry's. He had no idea what was swirling around the wizard's head and it made him feel too many things at once. He didn't want to regret kissing Harry and he didn't. He didn't want to regret the more-than-friendly feelings for the wizard. He didn't know why or when, but he'd come to care about Harry that surpassed a professional relationship and it was rather... daunting. He sighed softly and took a moment to regret the moment passing (and not just because he was still achingly hard) and slowly sat up, trying not to notice he was straddling Harry in a very pleasant way.

"Not for the whole kissing you thing," he clarified when he saw Harry's eyes close, his face pinched with regret and something that looked like embarrassment. "I meant for rushing... or... I dunno," he said and sighed again, his hands flopping to rest unintentionally on Harry's stomach. He tried not to notice the way the muscles contracted under his palms. He noticed the firmness, Harry wasn't built but he was in shape, but it was certainly another turn on. His hand splayed, without his permission, and he stifled a pleasured gasp at the sensation.

Fuck, was there anything about Harry that wouldn't reduce him to a panting, hormone riddled mess? Probably not, he mused looking at the endearing mess of black hair splayed everywhere. He felt frustrated but a little glad they'd stopped. Kissing (while fantastic) was one thing, he wasn't sure how he would've handled anything further... yet. He felt himself go a little gooey when he realized Harry must've really reined in his urges for his comfort. It was quite endearing. Sappy, but still...

Harry laid quietly, looking at at Nick with a pensive expression. He didn't know what made him stop and he was silently cursing himself for it at the same time he congratulated himself for not rushing into a situation. He sighed as well and covered his eyes with a hand, thankful it wasn't trembling. "It's quite alright," he managed to say in a relatively calm voice. "Well, brilliant, actually," he said and grinned, lifting his hand enough to peek up at Nick with amusement practically sparkling in his eyes.

"C'mon," Nick said after a few silent moments that were strangely quite comfortable. They both had calmed down considerably and he realized he must've been squishing the poor man (not that he complained). He carefully climbed off of the wizard, offering Harry a hand up once he was on his feet. He pulled the other man into another quick, soft kiss and nodded. "It's late." He got a nod, it was indeed inching past midnight now, and lead the other man upstairs. He paused, unsure whether to let go and let Harry go to the guest room or pull him into his room. His eyes flicked between both doors as he thought of the advantages and disadvantages of either decision.

On the plus side; he wouldn't have to sleep alone anymore. The thought of Harry sharing his bed, even for something as innocent as cuddling, was very tempting and made anticipation and warmth wriggle through him pleasantly. He knew the wizard would be just as prone to cuddling, they'd shared that information earlier. It'd been cute to see Harry blush as he admitted to it. They both were quite tactile and he was looking forward to being able to touch the man more often now like he had been wanting to.

Also, he would feel his conscience would be eased knowing he hadn't made the other man feel awkward or embarrassed since he had noted with extreme pleasure that Harry had leaned into each touch. Even the innocent ones.

The down side; he'd probably be tempted to do more than just cuddle. He didn't exactly find that to be a bad thing, per se, but he didn't know what the hell he would be doing and he certainly wasn't ready to go further... right now. He ignored his still present, slowly flagging hard-on as best he could, refusing to allow his dick to make any important decisions at the moment.

Thankfully (or not, depending how he wanted to look at it) Harry solved his problem by pulling him into a warm embrace, another soft kiss, before gently letting go and going into the guest room. He smiled at Nick over his shoulder just before the door closed with a soft _snick_.

Nick sighed and trudged to his own room. He looked back at the closed door and nearly knocked on it. Maybe Harry didn't want to join him? Maybe Harry was just giving him some space? He tried not to pout, wishing the wizard had been a bit pushier and invited himself in; he wouldn't have objected. He firmly, but quietly, closed his door and stared at his bed with another sigh. It looked cold and much too big. He quickly stripped, dropping his clothes on the floor and crawled into bed. He groaned and pressed his face into his pillow until he had to tilt his head to breath.

Nick looked longingly at the closed door and turned away, focused on sleep with single-minded determination and was out in moments.

Harry slowly got ready for bed, his mind buzzing with pleasure and happiness. He saw the look on Nick's face and he had nearly changed direction and threw himself into Nick's bed. He had to stop himself at least three times from slipping down the short hallway and knocking on Nick's door. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he'd bring it up and they'd go from there. He settled into bed, staring at the ceiling for a long while trying to calm his thoughts.

 

-=#=-

Nick woke up, regrettably alone, sniffing the air. Coffee. He scratched various itches and shuffled out of his room, wearing only pajama pants. Considering last night, it seemed silly to worry about what he was wearing -or not wearing, as the case may be. He briefly wished they'd actually gone a bit further (he fought the urge to blush when he wondered how to go about 'researching') and shook his head at himself. A few heated kisses and he was already quite literally aching for more. He wasn't sure what to think but it made him smile and an arousing flush of warmth tingle through him, so it couldn't be bad. Or scary. No, it was more arousing than anything.

He followed his nose to the kitchen and inhaled deeply, smiling to himself at the now familiar habit. He paused as he entered the kitchen, his eyes finally opening all the way. Harry was in a similar state of undress and his eyes flicked eagerly all over the wizards body. He wondered if he had caught Harry by surprise since he had never seen Harry out of his room unless fully clothed. He mentally rejoiced at the idea of seeing more of Harry and continued to eye the man in his kitchen.

Nick's gaze quickly skipped the odd patterned sleep pants (little winged golden balls and short bats) and instead focused on the wonderfully perky ass (sexy-as-hell dimples just above the pants made his fingers twitch with longing to touch and explore), lightly tanned skin and narrow hips. Harry's hair was a bit messier than usual and he found himself grinning at the mop with fond amusement. His eyes widened slightly when he caught sight of the scars peppering Harry's back and shoulders. There were more than he had ever expected, even after learning a bit more about Harry's past.

He was running a finger gently along a puckered, circular shaped one right near Harry's shoulder blade before he even knew what he was doing. He didn't even spare a thought to what might happened if he scared a fully trained, deadly wizard. He traced along the shiny skin and he frowned; it looked like a gunshot wound. His teeth clenched at the very thought of someone shooting Harry and he found himself firmly hoping they were brought to some sort of justice. It almost made the cop and Grimm in him argue what that justice should have been, too.

"Morning," Harry said, his back still to Nick. Thankfully, he heard Nick enter the kitchen or he probably would have done something embarrassing like unleash a high-pitched scream or hex the Grimm when he had suddenly felt a warm finger gently running along his back. He wasn't exactly shy about being caught half-naked but he hadn't expected Nick up so soon. He probably would have at least thrown on a shirt, last night's make-out session or not. He had to bite his lip to keep the shiver from working through his body at Nick's touch. As it was, he had nearly dropped the spatula and spilled eggs everywhere.

He looked over his shoulder to see a strange expression on Nick's face. His gaze dipped and traced the few scars he saw on Nick's chest. There weren't many, and most were rather small and almost unnoticeable. He didn't care about his but he wished Nick was without such painful mementos. He knew it would be impossible for Nick to have lived the life he had unscathed, but he wished for it nonetheless. It didn't at all detract from the man's looks, lithe form and wiry musculature, though. His earlier thoughts were spot on; Nick was perfection.

He really, _really_ wanted to touch and trace each dip and contour. He didn't care if it was his fingers, lips or tongue either. He turned the heat off under the pan, picked up the full mug he had poured for Nick only moments before he appeared and slowly turned. He couldn't stop the small smile as Nick's finger stayed against his body and traced a line around to his chest, gently following up his collarbone before dropping back to his own side. He managed to suppress a shudder, again, unwilling to scald himself or Nick.

"Coffee?" He held up the large mug, filled with steaming coffee. His skin tingled pleasantly still and he idly wondered why Nick was being so... hands on.

Not that he minded. He was looking forward to encouraging Nick's new found attitude. Hopefully, Nick wouldn't be opposed to _being_ touched, as well. He would probably be able to keep it above the waist too, at least until he got a very clear indication Nick wanted otherwise.

Nick nodded and took the mug, smiling his thanks before inhaling the fragrant steam deeply with a soft moan. "Thanks." He carefully took a sip, sighing as the hot liquid trickled down his throat. Really, nothing beats coffee in the morning. He opened his eyes; a half-naked Harry came pretty close, though. "I didn't mean to stare..." he trailed off, staring again at a deep, painful looking scar cutting across Harry's hip.

Again, his fingers reached out without his consent and he gently traced the shiny, white scar, his palm sliding along it next and he was practically cupping Harry's slim hip. The scar looked old, but deep and he wondered how bad it had been if it had still scarred so badly even with magic. He looked up and blinked at the serene look on Harry's face, feeling a bit confused. He mostly was annoyed by his scars; they seemed to turn people off or fascinate them in less than healthy ways. Juliette always fussed or frowned at them, if she even paid them any sort of attention. He was a bit surprised Harry didn't seem the least self-conscious about them.

"That was a gift from an ex-Death Eater," Harry said matter-of-factly, his eyes dipping to the area Nick was still gently caressing. He leaned into the touch, enjoying the way Nick's thumb brushed against him softly. A very nasty, very powerful cutting hex. Dark magic had kept it from healing for quite some time and it had scarred terribly. He sometimes still marveled that he lived through it; the Death Eater hadn't and it was one of the few deaths he caused that didn't plague his conscience.

"Muggle gun-shot," he said and hooked a thumb behind his back to the one Nick first touched. He shrugged at the look of surprise on Nick's face. He cocked his head to the side for a moment, finally figuring out Nick's expression. "I don't care about them, they're just scars." He used to wish the healing salves and scar-vanishing potions would work but he'd stopped worrying about that. He was known for a sodding scar, a few more were nothing to fret over.

Nick nodded dumbly, wondering when he'd be so blase about his own. He remembered he was without a shirt when Harry's fingers fluttered against a large, long scar that started in the middle of his chest and nearly bisected his left nipple. He leaned into the touch and didn't even bother trying to suppress the pleasant little shiver the touch brought on. "Hexenbeist," he murmured when Harry gave him a questioning look. Harry nodded, now aware what such a thing was. "Had a thing for knives and swords." He shuddered lightly, again mentally thanking his reflexes and speed. He would've most likely been gutted, or without a heart, otherwise. He cleared his throat and shook his head, once. "Doesn't matter."

"Still..." Harry said and paused. "I don't care about yours, either." He raised an eyebrow when Nick gave him a doubtful look. "Really. It's not like I have a scar kink or anything, it just doesn't detract from your—" His gaze dropped, openly surveying Nick again, making the Grimm's skin tingle pleasantly, "insane sexiness," he finished. He nearly licked his lips when his gaze dipped to the man's abdomen, an inviting dark trail of hair highlighting a lightly defined 'v' disappearing into the waistband of his sleep pants.

Well, he felt stupid for ruining his chances of tracing those lines with his tongue last night. He couldn't suppress the urge to touch and gently traced a finger down Nick's chest to flick the ties keeping the pants up. He did manage not to pull one end of the tie... Just one sharp tug and they'd slide down and puddle at Nick's feet. So tempting.

He was suddenly itching with curiosity; what sort of underwear did Nick wear? Did he have any on now? He had to clasp his hands together so he wouldn't rudely fondle the man or pull the pants down.

Nick felt himself warm from the open appraisal and chuckled softly, wrapping an arm around Harry's waist, nearly purring with contentment at how nicely the man fit against him. The way their bare chest pressed together nearly made him purr again. "Fine fine. I understand, you just want to ogle me and treat me like a piece of meat." Harry pulled back and wet his bottom lip, his green eyes flicking all around his body with a very appreciative look in his eyes. Again.

He snorted, unable to help himself. He nearly preened under the scrutiny; he really wasn't conceited but it felt nice to be so obviously appreciated. It had certainly been awhile... He saw Harry's fingers twitch and found himself wondering just what the wizard wanted to be doing with them. He most likely wouldn't object.

"Well, yeah," Harry said and grinned mischievously. He laughed when Nick pouted adorably and nipped the pooched out lip, unable to resist. "Aw, we all can't have brains and good looks," he said and winked. He laughed and danced away when Nick's hand came down and pinched his arse. "Touchy! It was intended as a compliment, you brute!"

Nick just hummed and took a long sip of his coffee, thankful it was finally cooled enough to do so. He was running late and as much as he hated to cut the moment short, he had to get to work. Well, they had to get to work, since Harry tagged still along. The week Teddy had been out to visit had been the longest and most boring he'd had in a long time. It was at once a blessing and a curse he had been such an awkward idiot those first few days; he missed spending time with Harry but he also had needed the time away from the wizard to work through the guilt and awkwardness. It was almost amusing at how completely pointless it had been.

"I'm the whole package, I'll have you know." He rolled his eyes when Harry's eyes darted to his crotch and his tongue darted across his bottom lip again. "Such a one track mind," he said with mock indignation, not really minding. "Gotta get to work," he said and grabbed Harry around the waist again, pulling him flush against his body from chest to thigh and kissed him thoroughly, leaving one last lingering peck before leaving the kitchen, humming happily under his breath.

He was half-way to his room before he realized what he had just done. God, it had felt so normal to grab the man, kiss him and go about his morning. Either he had completely shocked Harry (which he doubted; he had kissed back with a happy little humming sound) or the wizard truly wasn't bothered by it. It was quite nice to be his touchy-feely self and have it appreciated. He shook his head and got dressed, smiling the entire time. He knocked on Harry's door and waited until it was jerked open, a bit saddened to be greeted with a fully dressed Harry. He already missed seeing the toned chest and cute little sleep pants. He was also a little sad to note the wild mass of black hair had been slightly tamed, as well. He really wanted to reach over and just run his fingers through it... "Ready?"

"Yeah," Harry said and brushed past Nick, sliding a hand along his hip and stomach. He grinned over his shoulder and winked. He was still feeling pleasantly warm and floaty from a few minutes ago when Nick had just grabbed him, kissed him and talked about normal shit like it was... normal. He wiggled his feet into his shoes, ignoring Nick's usual commentary about how helpful untying shoes can be, and bounced out of the door. "What?" he said, noticing Nick staring at him. It was hard to pin-point the look on his face but it made him want to squirm in a rather pleasant way.

Nick shook his head. "Nothing," he smiled. "Just looking." He smirked when Harry flushed lightly and elbowed him in the ribs. He wanted to grab his hand or pull him close with an arm around his waist but he resisted. Barely. He just wanted to touch the man, his fingers nearly twitched and tingled with the desire. Not only were they outside now (he didn't really know if that would bother Harry) but he wasn't sure how much touching he could get away with at the moment; where Harry drew the line between 'affectionate' and 'clingy'.

"What are we doing today?"

"Not much I can do until I find the new meeting place," Harry said, his shoulders slumping as reality filtered back in through his happy daze.

He could almost forget why he was here with Nick in the first place. He dug out his notepad and checked through his notes. So far, he hadn't been able to figure out any pattern or rationale behind the places he had connected to the Death Eaters. None of the places were particularly magical or naturally energized. They seemed completely random, as far as he (or Nick) could tell. He made a note to check with Malfoy, he liked looking into things like that.

"Or any kind of lead at all. I've got a few ideas about where they might be, but," he shrugged. So far, head Auror Anders hadn't complained about the amount of time he had been spending out of the office (in another country), chasing a cold lead, but he dreaded when the time would come. He had little to report and an even smaller desire to leave any time soon. As much as he hated to think it, he hoped his name bought him more time.

Nick nodded and climbed into the car. "Yeah, I know." Paperwork and waiting were the worst parts of being a cop, in his opinion. He started the car and smiled when Harry's hand settled on his thigh. It was only slightly distracting but he knew it kept Harry's mind from imagining all sorts of bloody accidents and twisted cars, even with the magical protection he put on the car. It didn't keep _him_ from imagine that hand sliding up further and he was half-hard in minutes. It was a little surprising how quickly he got comfortable with the intimate touches. They were half-way to work, enjoying the comfortable silence when Nick looked over at Harry, sudden inspiration smacking him over the head. "Would you let Monroe help you?"

"Maybe," Harry said slowly, looking over at Nick with a slight frown. "How?"

Nick gave him an exasperated look and focused back on traffic. "He's a Blutbad. He's got one of the best senses of smell I've ever heard of. He might be able to help you track the Death Eaters." Monroe kept asking when he would be pulled into service and Nick knew the man well enough to know he was offering his help, not bitching (completely... only slightly bitching). Monroe had come to like the wizard, almost as much as he did. Thankfully, Monroe's interest ended at friendship or he probably would've done something stupid to his friend. He paused, musing over the jealous reaction and nearly snorted at himself.

"Maybe," Harry said again, nibbling his bottom lip nervously as he thought. He didn't like the idea of involving Monroe. He liked the man, a lot, and didn't doubt his abilities but he wanted to shout 'no' at the mention of involving him. Capable or not, involving him made him want to break into a cold sweat. He hadn't figured out why he'd been on the list and really didn't want to remind the Death Eaters of his presence if they'd forgotten about him. "Would he?" he finally asked, looking at Nick intently. If there was any hesitation or doubt, he'd firmly say no. Nick immediately nodded, quite eagerly, and his shoulders slumped. Dammit.

"I know you hate the idea, Harry," Nick said quietly, slowly lowering his hand and entwining their fingers when Harry didn't pull away. "But Monroe does this sorta thing all the time. He helps me a lot, usually complaining and bitching the whole time," he added with a grin. "Really. He can take care of himself and he'll know about any dangers long before it could get to him."

Harry slowly shook his head. "Wizards can pop in and out of anywhere, zap him with a killing curse and he would never see it coming."

"Okay," Nick said slowly, a trickle of fear worming through his belly. He hadn't thought of that but he didn't think it would happen, but he knew Monroe should be told about it anyway. "At least ask him. He'll let you know if he's uncomfortable with it. _You_ won't beg and force him into it," he said, smiling a bit.

Harry huffed and flopped back into his seat, a whole new set of thoughts bouncing around his head to distract him from the car ride. He was no closer to a final decision when they pulled up to the police station. He didn't exactly relish another day helping Nick and Hank with paperwork, but without anything of his own, at the moment, he wasn't going to sit around and be bored either. He followed Nick into the station, lost in his own thoughts until they got to the workstation the two Detectives shared. He smiled and waved briefly at Hank. "Hey Hank."

"Harry," Hank said and nodded, smiling. Slowly the smile stretched into a grin as he looked at Nick, noticing the rather relaxed posture and general 'bouncy' aura surrounding his friend and partner. "How're you this fine mornin'?" he asked brightly, a hint of a tease in his voice.

Nick shrugged, unconsciously running a hand along Harry's back as he scooted past him. He missed the quickly covered look of surprise on Hank's face. "Fine." It was an effort not to gush and grin like a complete idiot but he managed. He tried to ignore the way Hank's eyes narrowed ever so slightly and studied him. Hank knew him well, well enough to see through his feigned blase attitude and notice the utterly girly way he was trying not to skip around like one of the Von Trapp kids. God, he was a sap.

He averted his gaze from Harry, not wanting to start grinning like a loon in the middle of the station, and focused on Hank. He scowled at the shit-eating grin on his partner's face and went to get coffee. He'd had his fill at home but he needed a distraction.

"I can see that," Hank called after Nick's retreating back, laughing when Nick casually flipped him off over his shoulder.

He had been about to tease Nick about finally getting laid (or at least some kind of stress relief that wasn't self inflicted) but now he wasn't so sure that was a good idea. He was acting a bit odd around Harry and he wasn't sure what to think about it. He had been hoping the little wizard's crush wasn't one-sided. Did Nick's nearly sickeningly happy mood have to do with Harry or did he find some random hook-up somewhere?

He looked over and noticed the wizard's eyes would flick up and seek out Nick every so often, a smile quirking one corner of his mouth briefly, before focusing back on his papers. Nick was doing the same thing, only smiling a bit less obviously but no less warmly. He grinned slowly again, nearly rolling his eyes. It was about damn time. "Any leads?" he asked, shifting in his seat and leaning towards Harry. He and Nick hadn't found anything new while Harry had been 'off' and he knew the wizard was getting frustrated with the stagnant case. Hell, it wasn't even his case and he was frustrated.

Harry shook his head and sighed, a hand shoving jerkily through his messy hair and pulling in frustration. "No. Nothing new. I'm still two steps behind them." He flicked a crumb off the corner of the desk in agitation and glanced up, rearing back and blinking a few times as he took in the look on the other Detective's face. Hank looked like he was either holding in an embarrassing bodily function or trying not to burst out laughing. Either reaction wasn't all that welcome at the moment. "What? Do you have something?" he asked, leaning forward, unwilling to ask the reason behind his current expression.

"No," Hank said and leaned back in his chair, lacing his hands together behind his head. "Everything going alright with Nick?" He fought a grin when Harry flushed lightly and his eyes darted away for a moment, finding the Grimm and darting away again. It was a good thing the guy was a cop and not a criminal; he sucked at deception. He wanted to sigh when Harry's body stiffened and his expression went wary, his left hand unconsciously stroking along his inner right forearm, obviously sure he was going to give him shit about Nick.

He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "It's cool, man. I don't care about that sort of shit. I'm just glad you two stopped pussyfooting around and _did_ something about it." He snorted a laugh when Harry gaped at him, blinking owlishly at him after snapping his mouth closed. "Seriously. It was giving me heartburn." He winked. Plus, Wu now owed him twenty bucks.

Harry blinked and gave Hank a shy smile. He had been a bit concerned. Not only was Hank Nick's partner, they were good friends. He was scared to be chased off, cursed at for corrupting Nick or yelled at just for being gay. He flushed, realizing how obvious he'd been. "Oh Merlin. Does _every_ one know?" he groaned in a whisper, horrified, his eyes darting around in rapid, nervous little flicks. He would cover his face in complete mortification if he didn't know it would call even more attention to himself.

"Nah, man," Hank said and chuckled. "I only noticed because I know Nick so well. Renard, too, but he used his Wesen hoodoo or something." He didn't know how much of his Hexenbiest—or Zauberbiest _—_ side Renard could actually use, but he saw no other way for the Captain to know. He barely interacted with Nick and Harry, preferring to give the wizard a wide, respectful birth and only consulting Nick when he had to. He thought it wise not to mention Wu knowing, they didn't work together often and he didn't want the wizard being awkward around the Sargent.

Harry flushed again and resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands. Again. It was embarrassing enough to know he'd been seen mooning over Nick but it was mortifying to know Hank knew (or maybe was just hoping?) something happened between them. He nearly checked himself for incriminating evidence, even though there wouldn't be any. "Okay," he sighed and straightened in his seat. "Um, thanks."

"For?"

Harry smiled crookedly. "Not shooting me."

"Oh. Well then you're welcome," Hank returned with a cheeky grin.

 

-=#=-

Harry's shoulders slumped when they reached the address for a Klaustreich named Joseph Ryan. He didn't even make it to the door before knowing something was wrong. "Nick," he said quietly, sliding his wand into his palm. He was on full alert when Nick sidled past him with his hand on his gun and his body angled slightly. "I think we're too late," he murmured softly.

"Yeah," Nick said, having the same feeling. He leaned around the porch railing, cupping his hand around his face as he peeked in through a window. He could clearly see a body, laying quite still in a pool of what appeared to be blood. "Shit."

Harry leaned over, squinting a bit to see into the house. "We can go in, yeah? Body is in clear sight."

"Yeah," Nick said again. He looked over at Harry and gave him an apologetic smile. "I can only wait a few minutes before calling it in." He winked when Harry smiled gratefully and nodded, restraining the urge to kiss him. It was really not the appropriate time or place. He couldn't help watching the wizard work; Harry moved so fluidly and it was easy to just stand back and stare. Too easy, he realized, jerking himself a bit out of his reverie and followed the wizard inside the house.

Harry was thankful Nick was giving him the opportunity to do his own investigating before the place was swarmed with cops and Muggles. A flick of his wrist, a wordless Alohomora and they were easing their way inside. He was keenly aware and enjoying Nick's body heat pressed close behind him. He grinned when he heard Nick mutter 'neat trick' but focused quickly on the dead cat-like Wesen laying in a pool of his own blood in the middle of the living room. It was a shame they looked human when they died, he kind of wanted to see a Klaustreich in full woge.

He cast a silent charm on his shoes, sealing them and he carefully squatted down. He pulled out his notepad and quickly ran his wand over the body, murmuring every diagnostic and tracing charm he knew in quick succession. He watched eagerly as scribbles appeared on his notepad. He nearly whooped with relieved delight when he found evidence of magic.

"Yes," he hissed in a low whisper.

Wizards, most likely Death Eaters, had killed his man. It was regrettable it took a death to get the information, but it was a lead.

"Did you find anything?" Nick asked, slowly approaching from the hallway. He glanced briefly at the body but didn't feel any real remorse. Most Klaustreich that he met were assholes, this one in particular had a bad reputation for sexual assault and harassment, but he didn't exactly wish the guy to die in the way he had.

He noticed numerous cuts and slashes all over his body; some deep, some shallow. He grimaced slightly when he noticed the guy's limbs were at unnatural angles, as well. He was mostly unsettled by the twisted snarl Ryan's face was frozen in.

When he looked back to the wizard, Harry was nodding as he slowly stood. He did a double take when he caught sight of the dark look on the wizards face. It was a fierce combination of determination, elation and something a bit feral. He wasn't exactly ashamed to admit it made him twitch in his pants and turned him the hell on. Also, very glad he wasn't the target of such an expression.

Harry nodded, sliding his wand up his sleeve again. "Oh yes," he whispered lowly. He looked up and gave Nick a triumphant but sharp smile. He flushed when Nick's eyes dilated and he stepped closer. It was probably the first time he felt awkward showing the darker side of himself. Only Malfoy had seen it and the Slytherin had been shocked but impressed, not turned on (which would have been super awkward). Nick appeared to like it and he found the Grimm's reaction interesting.

He cleared his throat, breaking the mood a bit. "As bad as it sounds I'm glad that they tortured Mister Joseph Ryan here," he said, jerking his chin towards the body. "And that we got here first."

"And why is that?" Nick asked, pretty sure he already knew why.

Harry smirked, noting the way Nick's eyes snapped to his mouth sharply. It seemed really stupid to want to throw Nick on the sofa (or pin him against the nearest wall) right then but it didn't at all quell the urge. It didn't help at all that Nick appeared to have the same thought, his darkened blue-grey eyes firmly on his mouth, his tongue wetting his bottom lip in a slow glide. He cleared his throat again, feeling a bit horrified to be getting turned on at a crime scene. For fuck's sake, he needed to get a grip.

"Torture spells were used." He waited while Nick slowly tore his gaze away and then just looked between him and the body, waiting to be given the full picture. "Any spell used leaves a trace."

"Oh! Huh. Well, that's good, right?" Nick asked, scratching the back of his head. He grimaced a little. Maybe he should have said 'helpful'; 'good' seemed the wrong word when talking about torture leading to someone's death. Very painful death.

Harry smirked again, tapping his notepad. "Oh, for them, not so much." He was glad most spells used for torture required more force and concentration, guaranteeing him a magical trace to work with. He did feel remorse it cost the Klaustreich his life, but it couldn't be helped at the moment. He wasn't a forensic expert, so he couldn't even guess how long Ryan's body had been here but he still idly wondered if coming sooner would've helped or not.

Apparently, he hadn't outgrown his 'saving people thing'.

"Ah," Nick said finally. He wondered if he should be worried at the look on Harry's face now, reluctantly wondering just what sort of methods the wizard usually used when apprehending criminals. He had seen that look in the mirror when he'd had to be a bad-ass Grimm and take out a Wesen the old fashioned way. He also wondered if he should be worried that the look on Harry's face right now still turned him on.

And the magic he felt crackling around them didn't help either.

"Um, you're kinda tickling me," he finally said. It wasn't at all unpleasant but he really didn't need fellow cops and the Forensic team showing up and seeing him with a bulge in his pants. The gossip alone would make him want to shoot someone.

Harry startled and smiled sheepishly, focusing on drawing his magic back into himself. "Oops. Sorry," he muttered and took a few deep breathes to calm down. "And just so you know, I only use Ministry approved methods." He had noticed the way Nick had been regarding him warily, probably afraid he would go vigilante and zap the Death Eaters into bloody puddles with his wand. He wanted to. But he would only use as much force legally allowed. He wasn't going to randomly murder any Death Eater he caught.

"Good," Nick said simply, pulling out his phone and calling in the scene. He talked to Wu while watching Harry wave his wand a few more times, words scribbling in his notepad. He didn't understand most of the words, Latin not really being his forte, but it must have pleased the wizard because he was reaching for the gold coin in his pocket with shaky fingers.

Harry nearly dropped the Galleon a few times before finally charming it to give Malfoy a heads up he'd be calling. He went outside when Nick gently shepherded him towards the door with a hand on the small of his back; a subtle hint to leave the crime scene. As soon as he hit the sidewalk, he pulled out his mobile. Thankfully, Malfoy answered on the first ring. "Malfoy!"

"I assume you've found something helpful," Draco drawled, kicking a leg out and settling back in his chair, idly making the Galleon dance along the back of his fingers. It was still faintly warm. He didn't really have to ask; the tone Potter used and the fact he was calling really clued him in.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes. I found a body today and the idiots used numerous spells on a Klaustreich." He settled the phone against his cheek, holding it in place with his shoulder as he took out his notepad. "They used cutting hexes, mostly just Diffindo. At least two different people used a Cruciatus, a Confringo or two," he said with a wince. That couldn't have felt good at all; the spell was usually used to blast doors or walls. "I also found a trace of some spells I'm not familiar with but that doesn't really matter. I can't tell if he bled out or if he was killed by the killing curse. But I was able to isolate two magical signatures."

"Whose?" Draco asked, slowly lowering his feet to the floor and sitting up with interest.

Harry resisted rolling his eyes again, it gave him a special kind of headache when he did it too much. He called them Malfoy Headaches. "I don't _know_ that yet. That's why I need you. I don't have access to Ministry files here, Malfoy."

"Right," Draco said and cleared his throat, feeling a bit foolish that he'd needed Potter to point that out. "Can you send me the data?"

Harry stared at his notepad, worrying his lip as he thought. "Uhh... I think so? Give me a moment..." he trailed off. He copied the page and stared at it, wondering how to get the information to Malfoy now. It was mostly just random swirls and blurs of color, the magical signatures almost looking like a moving Rorschach's picture but time was a variable since they dissipated after a few hours. He didn't know, for sure, how long they would stay viable. He gently cast a stasis charm on it and hoped for the best.

"I don't know how to get it to you," he finally admitted, chewing on his lip again.

"No owls in the states?" Draco asked, truly unsure. He didn't exactly look forward to the long wait, though. He huffed in annoyance when he got a snarky 'no, they all use mobiles, Malfoy, like civilized people'. "Well, then, just apparate over here and hand it over," he said finally, as if it were obvious. Plus, he could pester Potter in person about Detective Burkhardt. It just wasn't as satisfying over the phone thing.

Harry snorted, but stood up to do it anyway. "Sure, _just apparate over here_ ," he mocked, rolling his eyes. "Git. Hold on." He lowered the mobile and looked around for Nick, realizing the area was now full of cops, the area sectioned off with yellow tape and a few gawking neighbors lingering on their lawns. How distracted had he been to not have noticed all of the chaos as it sprung up practically next to him?

He finally saw Nick talking with Sargent Wu, giving the officer an apologetic smile when he approached. "Sorry to interrupt," he said when the men paused in their conversation. He looked at Nick, "I have to drop something off. Be right back."

"Alright, uh..." Nick trailed off, unsure how to respond in front of Wu. He leaned towards Harry a little and his eyes briefly dropped to the wizard's mouth. He completely missed the Sargent's slight frown, the other man cursing mentally at losing 20 bucks to Hank. Harry didn't miss the look and made a mental note to watch how he interacted with Nick in the future. He didn't know the reason behind the look but he didn't want Nick to notice, especially if it strained things between them. "Yeah, sure. Um. Need a ride?"

Harry smiled and shook his head. "I can walk. Be back directly." He nodded a 'goodbye' at Wu, wiggled his fingers in a wave and then went to find somewhere secluded to apparate. It took a bit more effort to apparate silently but it was needed when he didn't have to worry about dozens of cops freaking out from the loud gun-shot-like sound. He landed right in Malfoy's private office with a slight stumble.

"Oops," he said, catching a falling statuette before it could hit the ground. Quick reflexes were the only thing keeping the gaudy thing from being smashed. He carefully placed the priceless thing back on the corner of Malfoy's desk with an eye roll. He must knock that thing off nearly every time he was there and the git still kept it precariously balanced at the edge of his desk. Maybe Malfoy was hoping he would smash it? It was rather ugly.

"Potter," Draco greeted, smirking. "That was quick." He walked over and handed him a bottle of soda, knowing the fizzy Muggle drink helped settle the wizard's stomach. He inclined his head, silently acknowledging Potter's grateful smile. "So, finally caught a break, have we?"

Harry nodded, slowly sipping the ginger ale. "Yeah," he agreed, excitement in his voice. "Assuming these—" He handed Malfoy the papers with the signatures on them, "are traceable, it's looking up." He ran his teeth over his top lip, hoping the wizards were on file, _somewhere_ , and they could have at least one name to start with.

He fiddled with the sweating bottle of soda, wondering if the traces would be strong enough for a tracking spell. Not many wizards or witches had a strong enough signature to use as the only thing to track with. He was torn between hoping it was the case and hoping the wizards (or witches) in question were low level piss-ants.

"Let us hope," Draco said sincerely, casting a preservation charm over the stasis charm he noticed on the papers. He didn't know how long it would take to dig through the Ministry files and he didn't want the samples degrading. "I don't know how long this will take," he admitted, looking up at Potter apologetically. "Even with the tedious spells I learned to search through the numerous recorded signatures, it'll take a bit to isolate these specific ones." He wondered if he could ask Granger for some help, she loved researching and looking through dusty, badly organized Ministry records.

Harry nodded. He knew that. He hated that part of the search. "Right, I know," he said, only vaguely aware of the spells Malfoy would be using; Hermione helped create most of them (and fine tune others). "Thanks, Malfoy. Call me as soon as you have a name, yeah?"

"Of course," Draco said, hurrying past Potter to get started. He'd been about to sit down to lunch, but this took precedence. "Oh, Potter," he said, turning around with a smirk. It grew when he saw Potter's eyes widen and dart around, recognizing the tone. He was amazed he hadn't started to fidget like a toddler needing the loo. Honestly. The man could stare down a murderous suspect intent on eviscerating him without blinking but make one innocent comment about a sexy Muggle detective and he turned into a teenaged witch with her first crush. It was really rather amusing. "How is Mr. Burkhardt?" he asked and leaned against the doorway.

Harry tried not to fidget, taking a long burning gulp of his soda. Malfoy didn't _know_ anything, he was just teasing him. As usual. The blonde bastard still enjoyed winding him up and he was just as at fault for allowing it to show how much the subject got to him. "He's fine."

"Mmhmm, I bet," Draco drawled and laughed when Potter flushed. "Oh, calm down, Potter. I'm not at all interested in any of the sordid details," he said with a dismissive wave. "Working well together?" he asked sincerely, the teasing note gone from his voice and a genuine look of interest and concern on his face. It was nice to know the Muggles worked well together and he hoped they extended that camaraderie towards Potter. Of course, the wizard's easy going personality made it nearly impossible for him not to be welcomed by even the biggest of arses. Like himself. He had caved after only a month around the git.

Harry nodded and cleared his throat. "Yes, quite. His partner Hank is very helpful, too. Nice bloke." All of the cops that worked with Nick were nice, he noticed.

"I see. Well, off you go," Draco said, making an imperious 'shooing' gesture with one hand. "I can see you're anxious to get back," he added cheekily, noting the way Potter was subtly shifting from foot to foot and fiddling with the soda bottle. Merlin, he had been here all of 5 minutes. "Oh! Tell me, did you hop here or apparate in one go?"

Harry smirked. "One go," he said cheekily and apparated with a nearly silent _pop_. He almost wished he could have seen the look on Malfoy's face but it was so worth the dramatic exit. Malfoy wasn't the only one that could be a pompous git. He paused, unsure why he _wanted_ to be a pompous git, but then again, it was _Malfoy_ , so he was allowed to tease and he was probably all snottily impressed or something.

He eased around the side of a house about a block away from the scene and once satisfied the area was clear, walked the rest of the way.

"Harry!"

Harry turned and saw Sargent Wu jogging over towards him. "What's up?" he asked, keeping a neutral expression on his face. He hadn't forgotten the little disgruntled frown. Wu was smiling politely now though, so maybe the earlier expression hadn't anything to do with him or Nick?

"Nick said to give this to you," Wu said and handed over a folded note. He offered a brief smile, nodded and quickly hurried off when Harry thanked him and focused on the note. He had tried not to peek at the note, but lost and had looked, and just shook his head. He didn't know what emergency had Nick speeding away, knowing Harry would come back, and he kind of didn't want to know since it couldn't have been good. Nick was getting into some weird things these days and he was happier not knowing.

Harry read the note quickly and tried not to argue with the messenger. Wu was already back at the house, anyway. He took out his mobile with a resigned sigh and tapped it a few times before lifting it to his ear. "Hey, Monroe, it's Harry."

"Hey man! What's up?" Monroe asked, leaning against his counter. He didn't even know Harry had his number, not that he was bothered by that fact. He was actually a little excited, maybe he was calling for some help. He loved tinkering with his clocks but he had almost gotten used to Nick dragging him into his Grimm adventures and he was very close to being bored.

Harry sighed. "Nick had to run off to the trailer. He hoped you could pick me up."

"Yeah, sure, no problem _,_ " Monroe said, already shrugging into a jacket and heading for the key-hook. "Why didn't you go with him?" he wondered aloud. Surely Nick would trust Harry with knowing about the trailer. "Wait. Can't you like... pop... places?" He closed and locked his front door, practically skipping to his Beetle.

Harry chuckled. "He snuck off while I ran an errand. And yes, I can pop places," he said with a chuckle. He really enjoyed how Monroe phrased things sometimes. "I just got done going home and I'm a bit wiped at the moment. Long trip," he explained when Monroe made a questioning sound. "Plus, he wants me to have you help me with something."

" _Ah-ha,_ " Monroe said dramatically. "That would be the real reason you called," he guessed, trying not to laugh or dance around happily in his seat. A victory dance seemed in poor taste, considering most Grimm cases lead to dead bodies.

"I didn't exactly want to, Monroe, but Nick left me very few options," Harry said tightly. He didn't appreciate being tricked into using Monroe, even if the Blutbad didn't appear to mind and would certainly be helpful.

Monroe paused as he went to stick the key in the ignition. "It's cool, man. I really don't mind helping, Harry. Honestly. Be there in a few minutes," he said and disconnected the call. He didn't use his phone while driving. A handy excuse when Harry called back. He was sure the wizard was irritated but he hopefully would calm down by the time he got there. By the fifth time he ignored Harry's call, he was starting to dread seeing the little wizard now. Harry was going to be pissed.

"Dammit," Harry muttered, ending the call with an angry jab of his finger and an irritated huff. He sat on the curb, glaring at the crime scene tape. There were still cops everywhere and he had no idea how he was going to get Monroe close enough to be of any help. He watched Monroe's pale yellow VW putter up the street and park a few houses down, the Blutbad unfolding himself from the car and causally walking towards him. "Monroe," he greeted.

Monroe waved and stuck a smile on his face. "Hey, Harry!"

Harry groaned, unable to stay annoyed and smiled back. "Right. I have no idea how to get you closer. If Nick hadn't buggered off, he could sneak you in but he did so he can't," he grumped and glared at the sheet covered body as it was being wheeled towards the Coroner's van. "Bugger. And there he goes."

Monroe followed his gaze and hurried across the street, trying to be as nonchalant and inconspicuous as he could (resisting the urge to whistle like a damn cartoon character). He got as close as he could to the sheet covered body, leaning over the yellow tape (and nearly pulling it free in the process) and inhaled deeply. His breath hitched with revulsion, his eyes stinging and watering, and he tried not to gag at the absolute mess of smells.

He really could do without smelling bodily fluids—or another Klaustreich—anytime soon, the highly feline stink clogging his sinuses unpleasantly. Ugh; he just _knew_ it was going to linger. He hurried away again before anyone noticed him, still gagging every so often.

"There. Done. Easy," he said in between deep gulps of fresh air.

"Wow. Thank you," Harry said, blinking in surprise. He had noticed Monroe leaning in towards the body but the Blutbad had been so quick, he didn't think he had been able to detect much. Impressive nose. "So, erm, what did you get?" he asked, nervously squeezing his notepad and practically vibrating with curiosity.

Monroe sat next to Harry on the curb, resting his wrists on his bent knees. "Well, a lot of blood and... other stuff," he said, briefly wrinkling his nose and shuddering with revulsion. "Something that I'm guessing was three of your kind and one stinky, dead Klaustreich," he said, his nose wrinkling again. He was still gulping in fresh air and thankfully the stink was dissipating. Slowly. He tore a handful off grass from the narrow strip of lawn and stuck his nose in it, sighing with relief at the green, fresh smell.

"How could you tell they were wizards?" Harry asked, fascinated. He had been taking notes, but his pen was hovering uselessly over the page as he stared up at Monroe with curious awe. He had only detected two magical signatures.

Monroe spread his hands dramatically, the grass drifting out of his open hands and lazily drifting onto the curb. "Dude, it's a gift. Plus, you got this weird... tangy smell I've never smelled before. I smelled it on that guy—" He pointed across the street where the body had been. "And it sure as hell wasn't from the Klaustreich." He shrugged. "I figured it was the scent of wizard."

"Would you be able to..." Harry trailed off, unsure how to finish.

Monroe watched as Harry struggled with words, feeling rather amused when he saw the wizard blush ever-so-slightly and avert his eyes. "Track it?" he finally offered, unable to watch the man's self-torture any longer. He didn't know why Harry was embarrassed. Maybe werewolves where he was from were a bit more touchy about their characteristics?

Harry looked up and nodded, shrugging apologetically. He didn't at all meant to imply the Blutbad was some sort of bloodhound. Monroe didn't look offended though, he looked rather proud actually. "Yeah. Can you?"

"Yeah, of course, man," Monroe said, barely containing a 'duh' from following. He was an excellent tracker, helped Nick too many times to count. He puffed his chest slightly with pride when Harry gave him a respectful look and smiled up at him with gratitude. Why couldn't Nick show a bit more appreciation?

Harry smiled, relief and gratefulness nearly pouring out of him. "That's brilliant, thank you, Monroe."

"Anytime," Monroe said. He paused and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why— No, you know what? I don't want to know." He shook his head, firmly ignoring _that_ train of thought when he smelled Nick's scent all over Harry. It wasn't his business. Though, he did owe Rosalee 10 bucks now. He gave Harry a distracted smile and levered himself off of the curb. "It's not exactly easy to track a scent unless I have a starting point, though."

Harry nodded in understanding. Apparating would make it even harder. The scent would start and stop; it would be impossible to track. Maybe it would only come in handy as an identifying method. If they managed to actually catch someone, Monroe would be able to say if they'd been involved or not. Hopefully.

"Understood. Whatever you can do will be helpful," he said, climbing into the small car. He held his breath and closed his eyes. This car was even smaller than Nick's! He gulped down a panicked breath and looked pleadingly over at Monroe. "Oh Merlin— Can I?" he asked, pulling his wand half-way from his sleeve, just enough for Monroe to see it.

"Yeah!" Monroe gushed, excitedly. He didn't know what the wizard wanted to do and he didn't care. He was going to see some magic! He watched as Harry twirled his wand around. He felt a sightly whooshy, tingly feeling but that was it. Again, rather anticlimactic. He tsked, snickering lowly at himself. What did he expect? Smoke and flashing lights?

"What did you do, dude?" he asked, looking around the car interior. Nothing seemed different. He sniffed subtly, in case the wizard had done some sort of deodorizing magic thing. Nick had complained about 'wet dog' smell once or twice (not that _he_ noticed it and he would've thankyouverymuch). He still didn't know if the Grimm had been joking or not.

Harry smiled apologetically, sliding his wand back up his sleeve. "Protection charm. Repelling charm. Anti-crumple charm," he said slowly, looking around the tiny interior. It still felt cramped but he didn't think an enlarging charm would be a very good idea. Wizarding space didn't stick permanently to Muggle things and he didn't want there to be any bizarre repercussions, even if he thought Monroe would appreciate some added leg and head room. "Sorry. Cars make me nervous."

"Oh, that's so awesome!" Monroe said happily and started the car, easing into traffic and headed towards the police station. "Uh, the magic not your fear of cars," he clarified with an awkward chuckle. "Thanks, man. Will those stay there, like permanently?"

Harry nodded, trying to calm his breathing. He wasn't so concerned with crashing now but his claustrophobia was trying to sneak up on him; the Beetle was a very small car. "Yeah, until I take them off, anyway."

"Cool. Can you keep them on?"

Harry nodded, smiling slightly. "Yeah, 'course."

"Awesome." Monroe hummed happily, turning the radio on and tapping along with the tune on the steering wheel. It didn't take long to get to the station and by the time they got there, Nick's car was there. He turned his attention to Harry, noticing the man's stiff posture, narrowed eyes and pinched expression. He wondered if Nick would find himself turned into a chipmunk or something. "Don't murder him, okay, man?" Or turn him into a turtle, he didn't say aloud since he didn't want to give the wizard the idea if he hadn't already thought of it. "He was only trying to help you."

"Yeah, I know," Harry grumbled and turned to Monroe, his face and posture relaxing. "Thanks, mate. Whatever you can find would be brilliant. Don't go out of your way, though. If you do catch the scent, call me or Nick, yeah? These wizards are mental and won't hesitate to kill you," he said seriously, giving Monroe a very stern look.

He didn't know if Monroe was the sort to rush in on his own or not and he silently hoped it wasn't the case.

Monroe nodded slowly. He wasn't about to risk _that much_ to help. "Count on it, man." He watched Harry climb out, his shoulders relaxing as soon as the car door closed. He knew it was the car and not him, or he'd probably be offended. He lifted his hand as Harry waved before disappearing into the police station.

 

-=#=-

Harry tried really hard not cave but it was nearly impossible. "Fine!" he said, throwing his hands up with exasperation. He turned, pointedly looking away from the blue-grey puppy eyes still being aimed at him. So unfair.

"Ha! I knew you'd see it my way," Nick said smugly and shuffled closer to the still irate wizard. He slowly eased a hand around his waist, watching intently for any sign he would get a fist in his face or a wand up his ass and yanked when Harry gave no indication either would happen and came willingly into his embrace. "I really had to go, I didn't know how long you'd be."

He leaned down enough to nuzzle into the soft skin behind Harry's ear. It was rather nice not to be assaulted with overpowering flowery smells, just a subtle, clean, musky scent. He felt more than heard the stutter in Harry's breathing and smiled a bit. He made a note to explore that area a bit more thoroughly later.

Harry tried to keep his scowl but it fell off the second he shivered. "You could have called," he said with a sigh. Partly, it was his irritation finally evaporating and partly in response to Nick's nuzzling and his damn hands all over his back and arse. Really, he should be irritated that Nick was so handsy but he really wasn't. It was exhilarating and made him tingle and his magic hum pleasantly.

"You can answer the phone when doing your popping thing?" Nick asked, pulling back just a bit. He rolled his eyes when Harry only glared at him. "Fine, I'm sorry," he said. He did mean it, realizing Harry really had a right to be annoyed (probably closer to pissed off). He suddenly felt like he was being chastised by a boyfriend, not a working partner. He very nearly giggled. "I didn't know how long you'd be and I was able to sneak Monroe on you," he explained, unable to keep from grinning when he got another glare. "I don't regret it, he can help," he added.

He could understand Harry's reluctance but he also knew the importance of accepting help when it was needed. And it was needed. It was one of the differences between them and one of the few things about Harry that annoyed him. The wizard was stubborn and hated relying on others to help. It didn't exactly help he understood why (between the way he grew up and being told 'only you can save us' for so long in his battles, kinda warped the guy into thinking he was a one-man army), it was more annoying now that he cared if the wizard partook in reckless behavior.

Harry huffed, sagging helplessly when Nick shifted enough to press them closely together. He probably should discourage such things, they were in the men's toilet for Merlin's sake. A public men's toilet. "Still..." he trailed off, biting his lips on a moan when Nick's lips teased at the sensitive skin behind his ear again. He should be irritated the Grimm had quickly figured out one of the spots that turned him into goo. He wasn't though; he was ridiculously thrilled to find the man such a quick study. "Stop that," he said softly, his arms tightening around the Grimm belying his words.

"No," Nick murmured against warm skin and chuckled, nipping playfully at Harry's ear lobe. He should probably care they were in the men's room at the station but it was kind of hard to resist touching Harry at the moment. "What did you go do, anyway?" he asked softly, kissing down Harry's neck, one hand resting warmly on Harry's ass while the other tightened around Harry's waist. He was about to get his teeth in the action when he heard footsteps shuffling towards the door and regretfully loosened his hold on the wizard.

Harry didn't ask why Nick let go, just walked over to the sink and washed his hands when a uniformed officer shuffled in and slammed into one of the stalls. He rolled his eyes and walked out, heading towards the desk he shared with Hank. He tried not to blush when the other Detective looked him over with a knowing, calculating look on his face. He self-consciously smoothed his hair and hoped he didn't look like he had been groped and kissed in the bathroom.

"I gave Malfoy the information and he's going to check the Ministry records."

"That's going to take awhile, isn't it?" Nick asked, sitting on the edge of the desk with his arms folded. He firmly kept his hands tucked and pinned in his armpits when Harry gave him a dark look. Seriously, there had to be something wrong with him to get turned on by an angry wizard. He grinned, mentally preening when Harry's lips twitched with a smile and green eyes looked him up and down before looking away again.

Harry huffed and plopped into Nick's chair. "Yeah, 'a while' is putting it mildly. Even with Malfoy's penchant for paperwork, it could take _days_ to sort through all the Ministry's records," he said morosely. He didn't _want_ to wait but it was the best lead they had. Well; the only lead if he was being honest with himself. Malfoy hadn't gotten back to him on the old Wizarding family names yet. At the moment, he was quite content with Malfoy focusing on the signatures, though.

He had tried to circumvent the system once, asking Dobby to get a file and the poor elf had come back 6 hours later, crying hysterically with bandaged hands (the poor elf's hands covered in paper-cuts that he hadn't healed in his haste and zeal to help 'Master Harry Potter, sir') and pulling his ears so hard, he thought they'd be yanked off. Apparently, the Ministry's horrible paperwork system (er, lack thereof) can foil even house-elves and their magic. It was fucking depressing; no wonder 'Mione loved her job.

"I can only hope the bastards are in the system."

"So, until then?" Hank asked, looking between Nick and Harry. Harry shrugged petulantly while Nick just looked entirely too chipper from the news, appearing to be daydreaming. He decided he didn't want to know. "Alright then, we'll call it a night then. I'm starving. You guys free for pizza?"

Harry nodded and stood, trying to let the thought of pizza lift his mood. He wasn't sure even greasy carbs, cheese and pepperoni could do it but he was willing to try. He also hadn't met a pizza he didn't like so he let Hank, who seemed the only one to have an opinion, choose where they went. "Is that the place with beer?" he asked, making Hank nod with a laugh. "Good, I might just have to get pissed later."

Nick just followed along, letting Hank bumble his way with his crutches in his slow, awkward pace alongside Harry as the two chatted, and subtly watched Harry's ass. He was glad the wizard wore jeans (or the occasional nice dress pant) instead of a robe, knowing the flowing garment would obscure any decent view of the delectable ass he was currently ogling. He jerked his head, and eyes, back up when he realized Hank was looking at him with an amused, slightly annoyed, look on his face. "Hmm?"

"Just reminding you about my appointment tomorrow," Hank said, grinning. He laughed outright when Nick grimaced, apparently he _had_ forgotten. "I'm finally ditching these things," he said, indicating his crutches, "so I can't miss it."

Nick stared blankly. "Do I have to take you or something?" he finally asked, unable to remember the finer details. Hank has been able to get around just fine so he was rather confused.

"No," Hank snorted. "Just givin' ya a head's up. I won't be in tomorrow."

Nick nodded, his eyes flicking down quickly to watch as Harry bent over to adjust a loose shoelace. Thankfully, he didn't drool or make any sort of noise. He snapped his eyes back up and scowled at the thoroughly amused look on Hank's face. "Good," he snarked.

 

-=#=-

When Harry said 'get pissed', Nick sort of knew what he meant. What he hadn't expected was a rather intoxicated wizard singing snippets of loud pop songs with the radio and trying to grope him while he drove. It was rather adorable and more than a little arousing but he was distracted enough by Harry without hands stroking and petting sensitive places.

"Harry," he said, pulling a strong but clumsy hand from the crotch of his jeans. He jumped when Harry twisted his hand free and cupped him firmly. "Hey! I'm trying to drive."

Harry just hummed and flopped back into the seat, angling himself so he could rest his cheek on the headrest and watch Nick with adorably hazy interest. "Sorry," he said pulling his hand back only to try to shove it up Nick's shirt. He really wanted to feel his skin; he was sure it was going to be warm and soft. He made a happy little purring sound when his fingers fluttered over warm skin, tickling along Nick's ribs. "Yeap," he said, answering his inner thoughts aloud.

"Harry!" Nick said, distracted by warm fingers fluttering over his ribs. "You keep that up and I'm gonna crash," he finally said, hoping it'll snap Harry from his handsy mood and let him concentrate. It worked too well. Harry flinched like he had been smacked, wrapped both arms around his own chest and curled up against the door. "Dammit," he muttered. He hadn't meant to freak him out. "I won't crash," he said softly, looking over. "I just need to concentrate. I can't do that with you feeling me up."

Harry nodded, stopping with a groan when it made his head spin. He leaned over enough to let his head rest against the cool window. "'M sorry," he said again, shooting Nick an apologetic look. He didn't drink often and he was honest enough with himself to admit it generally made him a bit looser with his inhibitions, especially if he was with a ridiculously hot bloke.

And Nick... well, he was ridiculously hot _and_ interested. How was he supposed to keep his hands to himself?

He nearly crawled into the other man's lap but stopped himself when he remembered Nick was driving. Images of mangled cars quickly doused his arousal and he shuddered and closed his eyes. He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew he was being gently prodded.

"Harry," Nick said again, leaning in close to poke gently at the wizard again. The corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile when Harry made a snuffling sound and flopped over to lay across his lap, miraculously missing smacking his head into the steering wheel by millimeters. He stroked a hand through Harry's hair, tugging gently. "Harry."

Harry grunted and opened his eyes half-way. He blinked a few times in obvious confusion when he realized he was looking _up_ at a rather amused Nick. He looked sexy from that angle too. "Huh?" he asked, unconsciously snuggling into Nick's lap. He hummed softly, feeling quite comfortable. Well, he had something hard and made of plastic poking his back but it was easily ignored in favor of cuddling into Nick's very comfortable (and sexy) lap. He wasn't sure how he got there but he refused to leave. He turned as much as he could and wormed an arm behind Nick, wrapping it around his waist, his face pressing close to Nick's crotch.

"Harry," Nick said again, his voice a bit high and breathless. He was torn. He didn't really want to disturb Harry's placement (quite enjoying the man's face practically mouthing him) but he really didn't want to spend any more time in the car. He wanted to go to bed.

He looked down and briefly wondered if he'd have to carry the sleepy/drunk wizard. "Get up," he said, wiggling his hips slightly. He inhaled sharply when Harry's arm tightened and he pressed his face more insistently into his crotch, which was now more than half-hard with the attentions. "Dammit, we're not staying in the car!"

Harry huffed with irritation and slowly sat up, staring blearily at Nick with annoyance. He blinked slowly a few times. "Fine." He turned and opened the door, nearly falling out of the car but managed to get his feet under him and stand up without landing on his face. He shivered as the cool air woke (and sobered) him up a bit and nearly blushed as he realized he had been nuzzling Nick's crotch moments ago. He peeked at the other man and was relieved he didn't look annoyed or put out by his actions, just disgruntled about being kept from sleep. Kissing was one thing, practically blowing the poor man was another level entirely and he had no clue what Nick's feelings on the matter were.

"Sorry, I don't do this often," he said, pleased his words weren't slurred, as he walked next to Nick up the walk.

"It's fine," Nick said, giving Harry a smile as he unlocked the door. He almost didn't bother, what with the wards Harry had up, but it was habit and he didn't want to invite trouble on the off chance someone got through the wards.

He tossed his jacket on the nearest surface and turned to help Harry out of his. "So," he said softly, focusing on his task of pulling Harry's limp (geez, did he even have bones in there?!) arms from the garment for a moment. He looked back up and fought the urge to fidget. "Can we continue where we left off?" He nearly hadn't asked, not wanting to take advantage of Harry's inebriated state. However, he looked adorably sleepy and not stupidly, black out drunk.

Harry's eyes dilated and he leaned against Nick, smiling. "Which time?" he purred, wondering if Nick was referring to last night, their time in the bathroom or just moments ago when he had his face in his lap. He really really wished it was the latter, but he'd enjoy any of the three options.

"Uh, at the station." Nick wrapped an arm around Harry, smiling a bit when Harry practically melted against him and looked up eagerly. "Are you usually this affectionate?" he asked softly, curious.

Harry blinked. "Are you calling me easy?" he asked, trying to scowl. He knew exactly what Nick meant but he really couldn't help playing with the Grimm a bit. He snorted, barely suppressing a slightly drunken giggle fit when Nick's eyes went wide and his head leaned back a bit in panic. Merlin, the man was adorable and sexy at the same time. It really wasn't fair.

"No!" Nick blurted. "I mean, you seem comfortable with me touching you, so quickly." He groaned and nearly smacked himself; that really didn't sound much better. He stared, narrowing his eyes warily when Harry's lips twitched and he felt more than heard a chuckle and shook his head. "Well, I guess it wasn't quickly."

Harry snorted and slapped a hand on Nick's chest, taking a long moment to fondle the area. He brushed a thumb over a half-hard nipple, the smooth material of Nick's shirt rubbing softly. "To answer your original question; usually, yes. Once I know it's welcomed, I am, that is. I don't just go up to random fit blokes and grab their arses." He leaned up and nuzzled Nick's neck, humming softly with pleasure and contentment. "I am rather easy, though," he said softly, chuckling when Nick groaned. He probably wouldn't have admitted to such a thing if he wasn't pleasantly buzzed, his drunkenness dissipating by the minute. Which was good, really, he didn't want to be too crazy or forget anything.

"How do you mean?" Nick finally asked, unsure how to take the words. Honestly, in the weeks he had known Harry he hadn't noticed the man act anywhere near the definition of 'easy'. Kind, friendly, easy going; sure.

Harry pulled back from Nick and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well," he drawled slowly, "I mean when I'm seeing someone, I rarely say no." He smirked when Nick's eyes widened and darkened a bit, obviously interested. "Mmhmm," he hummed, leaning closer again so their chests pressed together. "You can take that exactly how you're thinking it."

"Oh," Nick said, feeling warm all of a sudden. He had no idea if they were 'seeing' each other or not and he was itching to know. The surreal feeling he'd had in the bathroom earlier rushed back. "Are we. Um. Are we seeing each other?" he finally asked, unable to stop himself. He was so hoping the answer was 'yes'. He still didn't want to rush anything but the possibilities were already sending his imagination right into the gutter and his pants feel tighter.

Harry hummed again and decided to answer Nick creatively. He slid a hand down the other man's chest and quickly snuck his hand down his pants, but keeping his hand, regretfully, over the man's underwear. He groaned softly at the firm warmth and arched his fingers, cupping and sliding in slow short moves. "I would like to. Do you like to, Nick?" he asked, nuzzling the man's neck and chest, his hand stilling to give Nick a moment to answer.

"Uh huh," Nick agreed, twitching with pleasure when Harry's hand tightened beautifully. "Oh shit," he breathed, his eyes fluttering closed as Harry's hand kept moving. It felt amazing and his hips arched into the other man when he squeezed; the pressure was perfect and pleasurable. "You need to stop or it's going to get embarrassing," he said, feeling a very familiar heat and tightening. He really didn't want to come in his pants while standing in his foyer.

Harry stopped long enough to push Nick towards the sofa, it was surprisingly easy and he grinned triumphantly knowing the other man could have easily put up a fight if he didn't want to go. As soon as Nick landed on his back, Harry straddled the man's thighs and opened his pants with hurried movements. As much as he wanted to pull down the last barrier and _look_ , he didn't. He just went right back to squeezing and fondling Nick through very tented underwear. He leaned down for a kiss, moaning softly when Nick's hands cupped his neck and the back of his head and immediately kissed back with gasping little moans.

He wasn't often the aggressor but he was thoroughly enjoying himself as he rocked against Nick and watched the other man writhe and make breathy little sounds of pleasure. Fuck but Nick was sexy, especially all flushed and panting because he was touching him.

Nick grunted, unable to make a more dignified sound, as he arched into Harry and came. It was a little embarrassing, practically being fully clothed and all, but he wasn't able to feel anything but tingling heat and the very pleasant weight of Harry on his thighs. He twitched when a cool whisper of magic ghosted over his damp underwear. He hadn't a clue how long he laid there with his eyes closed and his breathing settling down. He slowly opened his eyes and grinned. "That was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced," he said, running a hand over Harry's hip and thigh. "Not at all in a bad way," he clarified when Harry looked rather awkward after his confession. "I mean, well. You know."

"Not really," Harry admitted, looking down at a lightly flushed Nick. "Are you referring to me getting you off or the magic at the end?" he asked, not at all embarrassed by his own rather frank words.

Nick flushed again, but smiled. "Yes and yes. Weird but amazing," he sighed, his extremities still tingling pleasantly. "Wow. So, um. Are you...?" he trailed off, his eyes darting down to Harry's still bulging crotch. He bit his lip, finding himself hoping Harry would grab his hand and ask for the favor returned. He wouldn't say no, he was more than a little curious and anxious to feel Harry but he was having a slight issue with reaching out. He looked up and frowned when Harry only shrugged. "You don't want me to?" he asked, his brows pinched in confusion.

"It's not that," Harry said and sighed. Why was he making this difficult? "Do you even want to? It's not like you have to."

Nick pursed his lips and looked down again. Did Harry think he was some sort of dick that only took? "I want to. Plus, it's only fair, right?" He dove in the moment Harry's head started to move. It was an awkward angle and he wasn't sure he was doing it right but he didn't have to wonder for long. He watched as Harry arched into his hand, circling his hips and moved into him however he liked. It was sexy as hell.

The little gaspy, moany, sexy noises were rapidly going straight to his crotch again. In a shorter amount of time than he expected, he watched Harry shudder almost violently, his head thrown back just before he went limp and fell bonelessly in a heap on his chest. He had never seen someone orgasm so quietly before. It was sexy as hell since he never really got into overly loud, exaggerated moans and shouts. "Harry?" he murmured, poking the still wizard in the side. His lips twitched with a smile when Harry wiggled away and giggled. Actually giggled!

"Hmm?" Harry hummed, feeling too damn good and gooey to move. "'M not movin'," he muttered into Nick's shoulder. He shifted just enough to be in a good position to bite if the pushy Grimm even hinted at moving yet.

Nick just sighed and wrapped his arms around Harry, not that surprised when he heard soft snores a moment later. It wouldn't be the first time he had slept on the sofa. A passed out (fucked out?) wizard atop him was a new aspect, though. He shifted, grabbing the back of the couch to help him sit up. He grunted softly as he resettled Harry's weight. It didn't feel erotic anymore, now it just felt comforting to have Harry snuggled against him. He stood with some effort, hands firmly gripping Harry's ass so he wouldn't fall, and carefully made his way upstairs.

He didn't even glance at the guest room door, passing it without a second thought. He was keeping Harry with him. He might regret it in the morning, depending how Harry woke up. He didn't think the wizard had been that drunk but he just didn't know. There was still plenty about the man he didn't know. He lowered Harry to his bed, smiling as Harry hummed a soft, happy little sigh and rolled onto his side. He chewed his lower lip, unsure if he should strip the man or not.

He hated sleeping in his clothes, so Harry would too, right? He was helping, not molesting.

He carefully worked Harry's jeans open, pausing every time Harry shifted or stirred in his sleep. By the time Harry was down to his very adorably, alluring pair of little black briefs (a strange winged Lion printed over the back), Nick was exhausted. He stripped himself clumsily and crawled into bed next to Harry. He stilled when he felt Harry roll and curl up against him and smiled into the dark. He leaned up enough to work the blanket over them, thankfully not disturbing a very peacefully snuggled in wizard.

Nick sighed and closed his eyes, his arm resting lightly over Harry's hip, and enjoyed the warmth of Harry's back pressed against his chest. It was a surprisingly comfortable position and he fell asleep with Harry's hair tickling his nose and a smile on his face.

 

-=#=-

Harry bolted upright when he felt a hand ghost down his side and chest. His eyes darted around wildly before landing on a sleeping Nick. He stared, trying to not go all gooey at the rumpled yet peaceful appearance of the other man. "Oops," he whispered and chewed on his lower lip, unsure what to do. He was at once relieved and disappointed he was still wearing underwear and nothing ached but his head. He looked around, noting he wasn't in 'his' room and nearly jumped from the bed.

"Sleep," Nick mumbled, not bothering to open his eyes. He felt Harry slowly lay back down and smiled, pulling the other man close again. He was relieved Harry hadn't bolted the minute he sat up and looked around. "You kick," he muttered, not really all that bothered. It was closer to Harry repeatedly tucking his feet between his legs than actual kicking. He got used to it after the second attempt, pinning the other man's leg between his (earning another happy, little contented sleep sigh).

Harry chuckled softly, unable to stifle it. "Sorry," he whispered. At least he hadn't done anything else.

"S'okay," Nick mumbled, tightening his arm around Harry and willing the man to go back to sleep. The damn sun wasn't even up yet, for fuck's sake. "Sleep," he repeated, a bit more firmly this time.

Harry nodded and let himself relax into Nick's hold. It felt amazing to be held as he slept; he had to admit he had missed it. He squirmed a bit, getting comfortable and wiggled himself down into the blankets with a happy little hum. He let his breathing regulate but he wasn't quite able to drift back to sleep yet. He was getting flashes of Nick's hands on him, his hands on Nick, kissing, groping. He would be embarrassed but Nick had been a very willing, very happy participant so he wouldn't regret it. He remembered it, so, thankfully he hadn't been stupid drunk. All around, good news.

"Harry," Nick chided. He could practically _hear_ Harry thinking. "Stop and go back to sleep."

Harry snickered and turned so he was facing Nick. He softly kissed the warm skin high on the Grimm's chest and settled back down. He let his mind briefly think about the case; hoping he'd hear from Malfoy soon, hoping the last few names didn't end up in murder or zilch. He snickered again when he felt Nick's hand slide down his arse and slap it sharply. "Sleeping," he muttered and closed his eyes. Bossy, pushy Grimm...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**Hexenbiest** (HEK-sən-beest; pl: -biester Germ. Hexe "witch" + Biest "beast") is a witch-like Wesen that resembles a zombie, with visibly rotting or disfigured flesh. Rosalee indicated that the term Hexenbiest is reserved for the female, while a male (such as Renard) would instead be called a Zauberbiest (TSOW-bər-beest; Germ. Zauber "magic" or Zauberer "wizard" + Biest "beast")._
> 
> _**Klaustreich** (KLOW-shtrykh; Grimm: KLOW-strysh; Germ. klauen = "steal" + Streich = "prank/trick" or alternatively Germ. "Klau(e)" = "claw" + "Streich" = "stroke") is an alley cat-like Wesen. They are typically known for being jerks in the Wesen community.)_


	6. Chapter 6

Harry woke up slowly, feeling comfortably warm, refreshed and quite content. It was overall a very strange occurrence and he stiffened as soon as his happy thoughts settled from hazy-dreamy and into reality as he fully woke. He turned his head a bit as the previous evening flashed back, and he relaxed against Nick once again. He was rather tightly embraced and he was surprised Nick could do such a thing while asleep. He heard a sleepy huff and snickered, maybe the Grimm wasn't asleep as he had first assumed. He resisted the urge to wiggle his arse back.

"You just _have_ to wiggle around, don't you?" Nick mumbled, his voice fuzzy and soft with sleep. He had been jarred from sleep, again, when Harry twitched and stiffened. He was glad (again) the man hadn't jumped out of his bed, though. He seemed calmer now, accepting and comfortable being held close. The wiggling woke him up fully and he was torn between not wanting Harry to notice his tented pants or not. They probably didn't have time to do anything about it, anyway.

Harry hummed and wiggled around, getting comfortable. "Sometimes," he admitted. He could quite easily be labeled as a 'restless sleeper', but his earlier movements were brought on by surprise. He was pretty sure Nick knew that, though. He absently cast a tempus, groaning when he saw the time.

"That was one of the coolest things I've seen yet," Nick breathed, his eyes wide and focused on the space where the numbers had been floating. Yeah, it sucked they had to be leaving in less than 10 minutes (a consequence of sleeping deeply in total relaxation that he'd take any day) but it was awesome. He hadn't seen much of Harry's magic but so far, at least nothing that was visible, this was the handiest and most visual one yet.

Harry flushed at the awe in Nick's voice and shrugged, he didn't think a tempus was all that amazing (just convenient), and gently eased himself from Nick's hold. "C'mon, we're dangerously close to running late," he said and slid from the bed. He padded to his room and hurriedly got dressed (absently casting a freshening charm on himself in lieu of a shower), hoping Nick was doing the same. He didn't think he had the willpower to pull the man from his bed if he was still lazing about, practically naked. He hurried down and cheated with magic to get breakfast ready, conjuring coffee while he made toast. It wasn't going to be much, but it was better than nothing.

"Coffee?" Nick said, coming into the kitchen (fully dressed and mostly groomed) with his head raised as he sniffed deeply a few times. He didn't think they had time for coffee. As usual, he moaned softly at the aroma and grinned when he saw Harry's eyes flutter closed as his cheeks flushed ever so slightly, squashing a chuckle when Harry quickly looked away. Had the wizard always reacted that way? He thought maybe he had and he had just never noticed before. It was cute. Well, not exactly cute... sexy but cute, too. Which, really, just described Harry perfectly.

Harry nodded and poured a large insulated mug, popping the lid on and handing it to Nick. "I might have cheated," he admitted, grinning mischievously. He knew he was allowed to use magic around Nick, and Nick didn't seem to be bothered by it, and since his slip this morning he wasn't going to worry about it anymore. He would go about some things the Muggle way as he always had, though. Some things he couldn't change, he had just gotten too used to it to change now. He herded Nick towards the front door, quietly amused to have to do so since Nick was more focused on sniffing and carefully sipping his coffee to move on his own.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Nick pouted, stomping into his shoes and shrugging into his jacket, transferring his coffee between his hands as he did so. He wasn't going to put it down, he saw Harry eyeing it and he didn't want the sneak stealing it. The Captain didn't get his panties in a twist if he was a few minutes late and Harry didn't even have to worry about a time card. "Why the rush?" he asked, carefully sipping the 'cheat' coffee. It didn't taste that bad, a little stronger and a bit more bitter than he liked but (sugar would help) he didn't think it tasted all that different. "Sugar."

Harry paused. "Yes, honey?" he snickered, lips twitching.

"No," Nick said, laughing. "I meant this needs sugar." He blinked when the glass sugar container zoomed from the kitchen and headed right for him. His hand popped up, catching the speeding container simply by reflexes alone. "Thanks," he said, still rather dazed, and carefully removed the lid and added the sugar. As soon as he was putting the lid back on, the sugar zoomed back into the kitchen, barely making a sound as it settled back on it's spot on the counter. "So awesome," he mused again, shaking his head and giving Harry a warm look. Very useful, too.

He looked at Harry from the corner of his eye, wondering if he would ever be sappy enough to actually call the man 'sugar'. No, definitely not. It was almost gross, really. He was more of a 'honeybear' or maybe 'tiger'. It would really have to be something masculine or ridiculously, embarrassingly adorable. He pondered it on the way in, sipping his magic coffee as he drove.

-=#=-

"Did you find anything?" Hank asked, looking up at a disgruntled Nick and an exhausted looked Harry. He pursed his lips in concern and leaned forward, very interested in the full story. Neither looked hurt or any worse for wear, so he was a bit confused and was keen to know what crawled up Nick's ass.

Nick shook his head and subtly nudged Harry into his chair, settling himself to lean against the edge of his desk and continued to glare at the wizard. He was pissed and he wasn't even all that sure why. Harry had warned him the magic he was going to use would tire him. He hadn't expected it to make the man _this_ tired, though. What sort of crazy-man was Harry to do that to himself? He was archly rethinking his whole opinion on magic if it had this kind of effect on the wizard. He looked away from a very sheepish, tired Harry and sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as he regarded Hank.

"Not really," he said, realizing Hank was waiting for a verbal answer, and glared at Harry once more. All that and they hadn't even found much.

"Did so," Harry said, his voice slow and thick with exhaustion. "I think I've finally found a pattern to where they camp out." He brightened considerably as he said that but he was still droopy and his eyes wanted to slam shut. "I'll ask Ron," he mumbled, stifling a yawn. He really wanted to just let his head fall on the desk and close his eyes, but he was not going to. This was a really bad place for a nap. He'd lose any respect he might have gained if he passed out and started snoring and drooling everywhere.

Hank and Nick shared a confused look before glancing at Harry. "Ron?"

"Yeah," Harry sighed and leaned back in the chair, shoulders slumped. "He's my best mate since I was 11. We went to school together. He's a genius with strategy and patterns." He stifled another yawn and smiled gratefully when Nick pushed a styrofoam cup of coffee into one limp hand (he hadn't even seen him slip off to retrieve it). It wouldn't help much but he appreciated the thought nonetheless. "If anyone can sort out the reason behind the pattern, it's Ron." He took a slow careful sip, wrinkling his nose at the terrible coffee. At least there was lots of sugar in it. Now he knew why Nick liked his so much. Warmed mud would be better than this coffee. He took another sip, wrinkling his nose slightly.

Hank looked between the two for awhile and sighed. "Alright, so what happened? _Exactly_ ," he stressed when he sensed Harry would wave it off and Nick would probably start bitching, if the expression still pinching his face was any indication.

"We popped in," Harry started, smiling tiredly when Hank nodded in understanding. Hank hadn't had the personal pleasure (or horrible experience, more accurately) of the travel method but he knew about it. "I ran some tests, found some answers. We came back." He looked at Nick, almost daring him to argue. It was exactly what had happened. Sure, it was the abridged version, but it was all Hank needed to know.

Nick snorted, calming a bit now that Harry wasn't look like death warmed up. He didn't think the coffee helped, but he hadn't known what else to do. "Sure, leave out you doing a very complicated, very powerful 'test'," he said, resisting the urge to make air quotes. He didn't want anyone overhearing and wondering. He was still irritated (and maybe a tiny bit scared) whenever the mental image of Harry's eyes fluttering closed and the man dropping like a sack of potatoes flitted through his mind. He just wanted to slap him and then kiss the fool.

"I had to," Harry defended softly. "I'm fine, really. I just need a nap. It wasn't all _that_ draining..." He didn't think now was the time to mentioned he had nearly drained his magical core more than once and this felt nothing like that. For one thing, he wasn't in a magically induced coma. He kept that too himself as well. He would be fine after a nap and some food. It was irritating and almost sweet to see Nick concerned, though. It had been awhile since he had someone (other than Hermione, Ron and occasionally Malfoy) be so vocal about his well-being. Even if Nick was being rather pissy about it...

Nick snorted again then narrowed his eyes when Hank started laughing. "It's not funny, man. I'm glad it helped and all that but it seems a little stupid to risk that much for that little information."

"It _is_ funny," Hank said, rolling his eyes. "You're bitching like a mother hen. Or an irate girlfriend," he added very, very quietly. Nick heard him though and glared death at him. He just raised an eyebrow; he wasn't wrong. Nick was being a little unreasonable. He had jumped into more dangerous (and stupid) situations during a case. Grimm cases meant those stunts were usually a bit more on the fatal side, too. "If it'll help in the long run, he did the right thing." He caught Harry smiling gratefully out of the corner of his eye and nodded at the wizard before looking back at Nick.

Nick pursed his lips and tightened his hands around his upper arms, trying to squash the urge to yell at Hank (or hit him). " _If_ it helps," he muttered. He looked at Harry, his shoulders slumping slightly. He knew what Hank was thinking; he had done dangerous, bone-headed things frequently on the job and he shouldn't be a hypocrite. Begrudgingly, he knew Hank had a point. He didn't have to like it, though. "Fine, I overreacted. Sorry."

"S'okay," Harry said, smiling. "I was born without that sense of self-preservation, apparently, so I might do it again. Fair warning." Hank laughed and Nick's eyes narrowed. He smiled sweetly, even if he was pretty sure it was marred by his tired expression. "I'll work on thinking things through, or at the very least giving you a more detailed heads-up before hand." He felt a sense of déjà vu, having a similar discussion with Malfoy during the beginning of their partnership. He realized now how jarring it must have been for Nick to see him wobbly and weak from the spell work. Nick had only ever see him cast easy spells, ones he could without putting much thought (or effort) into for the most part. "Sorry I freaked you out."

Nick snorted, unwilling to admit he _had_ been freaked out. At least not with an audience. He took a minute to enjoy the bright earnest green eyes looking up at him and nodded. "Anything here?" he asked Hank.

"Not really," Hank said, pushing a few files around with an annoyed look. He didn't know if it was related to what Harry was doing, but their caseload was lighter than usual. Sure, a good thing really but he didn't like it. It just felt... off. "Just whatever has you guys chasing your tails."

Nick nodded and straightened, pulling Harry up by his upper arm. "Good. We'll see you tomorrow," he said, leading Harry out the door. "Call me if you need me," he said over his shoulder. "And you," he said quietly, looking at Harry from the corner of his eye. "You gonna argue if I take you home and put you to bed?" he asked. He had hoped it would come out more stern and less of a come on but what could he do? The idea was good from any angle.

"Nope," Harry chuckled tiredly and leaned on Nick as soon as they were outside the station. "It really isn't a big deal, Nick. I've used more draining spells and lived through it."

Nick hummed noncommittally, tightening the hand on Harry's upper arm a little. He really didn't know that much about how spells normally effected the man, he just didn't like seeing how it had this time. "Do you do more draining spells frequently?"

"Not really," Harry answered truthfully, dropping into the car seat with a soft sigh. The short walk down had him felt like walking through sand and he lost any energy the coffee (or the overload of sugar) had given him. He let his eyes drift closed. "And I know my own strength," he added quietly. Well, not exactly, but he knew his core was quite sizable and he couldn't imagine a spell that could drain him. He hadn't come across one yet, anyway. "I'll really be fine after a nap, alright?"

Nick just grunted while he nodded and headed home. It felt weird to be going home so early (it was barely past noon) but he wasn't going to make Harry zombie-walk around the rest of the afternoon. He snuck a quick look; the wizard looked fast asleep already. "Harry?" He got a grunting hum in response. "How are you going to contact Ron? Does he have a phone, too?" he asked. He already knew wizards didn't use them with any regularity and he was curious how many of Harry's friends embraced the Muggle technology.

"Yeah," Harry mumbled. "'Mione forced him," he said, a smiling fluttering over his lips, with a quiet, tired laugh. "His dad plays with it any chance he gets, too. So funny."

Nick nodded, only really understanding half of what Harry had said. The 'yeah' was the important part. "You want to try to send him the information before you pass out?"

"No," Harry muttered, turning in his seat so he was looking at Nick easier. The seat-belt was cutting into his neck but he was too damn tired to move it. "It'll all come out like gibberish if I try to do it now. I'll do it when I get up."

Nick just nodded. It made sense. He kept quiet on the ride home, not wanting to disturb Harry until he had to. He nearly had to carry him into the house and ended up settling him on the sofa with a blanket over him. Harry had mumbled a 'thank you' before he fell into a deeper sleep, apparently unconcerned with being on a sofa. Nick stared at him for a moment, sighing softly. He still felt irritation prickle through him when he thought of the recklessness Harry showed but it was tempered with understanding now. And probably a healthy dose of warm affection, which was kind of unexpected.

He lifted Harry's feet and settled onto the end of the sofa, unsure what else to do. He didn't have anything pressing to do and he didn't feel like going back in without the wizard. He slid down a little and let his head flop back, getting comfortable. He should've asked how long of a nap Harry needed. Should he wake him or just let him sleep as long as he needed? He rested his cheek against the sofa back and it took a few moments for him to realize he was staring at Harry. He hurriedly turned his head away. It was a little creepy to watch people sleeping, right?

Nick must have fallen asleep himself because he jerked awake when he was kicked. It was unsurprising really. He had a brief moment to be glad he remembered to take Harry's shoes off. He adjusted himself and jumped when Harry sat upright with a gasp. "Harry?" he asked, unsure if the other man was actually awake or not. He noticed the room was not as bright and idly wondered how long they've been sleeping.

"Yeah," Harry said, running a hand over his face. He felt a lot better and hopefully he only slept enough to not be a zombie and still able to sleep later tonight. "I'm alright," he said, smiling sheepishly. He was only now just losing the last wisps of a dream, the one that had woken him. It wasn't bad, just weird. He could only guess he dreamed of Ron riding a whippet while in a lime green tutu because he went to sleep thinking of the red-head. He noticed his feet in Nick's lap and groaned softly, moving to sit up. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hog your sofa."

Nick snorted and gently pushed Harry back down. "It was that or leave you in the car. It's fine, Harry. Really," he added when Harry looked unconvinced. "Feeling better?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

"A bit, yeah," Harry admitted. He still felt like he could sleep for a few more hours (maybe years) but he was no longer struggling to stay conscious. He squirmed around, checking his pockets for his phone and nearly fumbled it. "I gotta call Ron."

Nick just nodded and leaned back again, quite content to sit there and let Harry's voice wash over him since the wizard made no moves to get up and move to keep the call private. He looked over a few times whenever Harry's voice brightened with laughter or happiness. Whoever Ron was, Nick wasn't sure whether to thank him or punch him out of jealousy. He waited until Harry was slipping his phone back in his pocket before speaking. "So?"

"He'll let me know. There were a lot of numbers to sort through." He had the hardest time making sure the numbers stayed in order, knowing if they got out of sequence everything would be pointless. He just saw a jumble of numbers, and the occasional odd symbol or rune, he still didn't get how Ron could make sense out of that kind of chaos. "Depending how busy he is at work and that, might be a few days. It killed me but I told him not to break his brain over it, work on it in his downtime." He wrinkled his nose, again wondering how Ron found that sort of thing fun. Odd duck.

Nick nodded slowly. "So, we're playing the waiting game again." Harry nodded sadly and he patted his knee, rubbing gently. "We'll figure this out and then you'll be overrun with catching bad guys."

-=#=-

Harry spent the next few days trailing after Nick and Hank as they went about their normal cases. It was depressing to see what Muggles could do to each other, but he supposed it was one of those aspects of human nature he should be used to by now. He was an Auror, had been for years. But even with his experience, it made something hurt every time he saw it.

He hadn't heard back from Malfoy or Ron yet and he was nervously fiddling with his phone, his lunch forgotten. He checked for any missed calls or messages and it was the same; none. He tapped the phone, wondering if he should just call them and see how they were doing. Malfoy would be annoyed if he interrupted something but Ron would be glad to hear from him. Plus, he wouldn't feel like such an arse of a friend if he called just to catch up more often.

"They'll call when they have something," Hank said, watching the wizard jump and nearly drop his phone. They were back to their 'usual' day and it was weird having Harry following them around still. Nice, but weird. He was fast too, helped Nick tackle a guy that thought running away was a better option then speaking to them. He didn't blame the guy; he wouldn't know what to do with his time either.

Harry slid his phone into his pocket and poked at his cold fries. "Yeah, I know." He tapped at the slim bulge in his back pocket, fighting the urge to take it back out and stare at it. Again. He glanced up at Nick and scowled when the Grimm smirked knowingly at him. "What?"

"Nothing," Nick said, raising his hands. He didn't like to see Harry all jumpy and irritable but there was nothing they could do for now. He thought maybe a distraction was in order. Ignoring Hank, he leaned over and spoke softly in Harry's ear. "We should go do something later." He enjoyed the light shiver that Harry did but he must have been too subtle when Harry looked at him with more confusion than interest.

Harry leaned back, looking at Nick with the scowl still in place. "Like what?"

"Anything. Whatever gets your mind off-" Nick waved his hand in the general direction of Harry's phone, "-that." Plus, he didn't entirely know what he wanted to do. What the hell did you do for a date? Was dinner and a movie too old fashioned? He hadn't had to worry about 'dating' for years, not to mention he hadn't a clue if you did something different when dating another man. The image of a sweaty dance club was both panic inducing and exciting. He wouldn't even know where to find such places, either. "Dinner out?" he asked after a long pause.

Harry pursed his lips, trying not to look at a staring, smiling Hank. "Er. Yeah, alright." The fact it was going to be considered a date did not escape him. It just might be the thing to get his mind off the appallingly stagnant case. They hadn't noticed any other Wesen attacks or 'caped hooligans' running around defacing property and assaulting people. He smiled when Nick looked at him with a warm expression.

-=#=-

By the time they left the station, it was after 8 when they finally sat down. Harry looked around the dimly lit restaurant and shook his head. It was quite a fancy place, full of dark wood and muted greys and soft blues. Soft music tinkled in the background and he almost felt out of place.

"Too cliche?" Nick asked, noticing Harry's expression. He lowered his menu and nervously flicked one corner with his thumbnail. Did he go overboard? It was almost too fancy, he felt a bit awkward sitting in the expensive leather chair.

Harry smiled and shook his head. "No, it's nice. I just haven't been to a proper restaurant in a while."

"Oh." Nick went back to his menu, unsure how to answer that. Did that mean Harry hadn't dated in awhile? Did he prefer something less... fussy? He sighed and let his menu fall back to the table, propping his chin up on his palm. "Why not?"

Harry shrugged, his gaze flicking between some fancy chicken dish and something that looked like stuffed fish. "Don't get out much, I suppose."

"Oh," Nick said again. He tapped the hand Harry had resting on the table, smiling when Harry looked up. "Why not?" he asked again, cocking his head a little to the side.

Harry shrugged again and lowered his menu, too. "You really want to get into all that?" he asked quietly. He didn't know if he wanted to get into his, rather embarrassing, past personal life. He didn't mind telling Nick, but it might be a little much for what was probably their first 'official' date. He narrowed his eyes when Nick nodded. "To make a long story short, I don't date much and it's been quite awhile."

"What's awhile?" Nick asked carefully. A waiter interrupted and Nick tapped his foot as they both ordered and waited for the man to go away. The guy was back before he could open his mouth and placed the two opened beer bottles on the table with a slightly pissy look on his face. Nick nearly laughed, amused the guy thought beer wasn't appropriate. He watched the waiter leave and leaned forward. "Really, I'm just curious, you don't have to tell me," he said when he noticed Harry looked rather uncomfortable.

Harry took a long sip of water and pursed his lips. "I don't mind. Uhm, maybe a few years?"

"Years?" Nick asked, trying not to gape stupidly. "How- But- Wow." He smiled, unable to help it. "Are you that picky or what?" he asked, feeling like an idiot when Harry flushed momentarily. He couldn't help it; Harry was too good looking to not have people interested.

Harry laughed and kicked Nick under the table. "No." He wasn't, not really. He was picky only in the sense that he wouldn't date anyone looking to just be known as having shagged him. He winced slightly, realizing how that sounded in his head. "No, but there are requirements I've found too few people meet."

"Like what?" Nick asked, leaning forward.

"Do you really want to know this?" Harry asked, trying not to sound exasperated. He really just wanted to enjoy Nick's company, not discuss his pathetic dating history. Nick just sat across from him and looked expectantly at him. He sighed and fiddled with his silverware. "Well, you'd need to know that I'm... kind of a big deal where I'm from."

Nick laughed, immediately holding his hands up when Harry shot him a disgruntled look. "I don't doubt it."

"Well, it's true. I've accepted it," Harry said. Maybe he could have phrased it differently, but it had sounded funny and self deprecating in his head, not like a conceited bastard tooting his own importance. He rolled his eyes when Nick gave him that expectant puppy-eyed look. He squished the urge to sigh and gave a very edited version of his life. He had to stop a few times when the waiter interrupted and to eat. By the time he was done, Nick was sitting there with a weird lopsided smile and blinking rapidly. "You alright?" he asked quietly, poking at a vegetable carved to look like a fish.

Nick nodded. Harry was a hero. An actual _should be wearing a cape and tights_ hero. It was strange but he knew the wizard wasn't lying. Matter of fact, he got the distinct impression Harry had downplayed what he could and told him a very brief version. Still... wow. A careful, slow appraisal of the wizard and yeah, he could really see it. "OK, so I guess you don't date a lot to avoid groupies?"

"Yeah, something like that," Harry snorted. "Groupies... that's such a wrong word but I suppose it's accurate enough." He paused and used a piece of bread to wipe sauce off of his plate. He didn't know what it was but it was too good to leave behind. "Sad, no?"

"No," Nick said and smiled. "Understandable, really. So, you were never tempted to just say 'fuck it' and just let people throw themselves at you?" he asked, leaning forward again and looking at Harry intently. He didn't know if he could have that sort of restraint... but he also knew he wouldn't be able to just have sex with random people, either. It was awkward enough getting to know a lover, he couldn't imagine just moving from person to person.

Harry snorted and kicked at Nick under the table again. "No. It was mostly women," he said, trying not to wrinkle his face up in childish disgust. "By the time the press knew I was gay, I had already kept myself out of the public eye for awhile." He leaned forward and pitched his voice low, "Men are worse than women with that," he said quietly. Women wanted to kiss, cuddle and romance him. Or have his baby. Men just wanted a famous fuck and weren't shy or subtle with their wants, either. He respected that aspect of being in a relationship with another man but not from strangers on the street. He had hexed a fair number of people (mostly men) that felt entitled to a public grope.

"We are horny bastards," Nick agreed, nodding sagely. He grinned when Harry snickered. He wiggled his eyebrows and Harry laughed. He was still randomly chuckling when Nick lead him from the restaurant. He sat in the car, waiting for Nick to settle in his seat. "Where to now?"

Nick started the car and looked over at Harry. He really just wanted to go home and see if Harry would go further than kissing. But he was also enjoying just spending time with the wizard. "I dunno, did you want to do anything else?"

"No."

Nick looked over at Harry and blinked when the wizard just looked right back, his gaze intense and dark. Did he miss something? He twitched when Harry leaned forward and roughly grabbed at his shirt, pulling him into a heated kiss. "Wha?" he mumbled against Harry's lips. His body wasn't confused, though, and his hands were already touching Harry and pulling him even closer. Heat tingled pleasantly along the nerve endings where his chest was flush against Harry's.

"You."

Nick blinked, confused. "Me what?"

"I want to do you," Harry said. His lips twitched and he knew he was going to have a hard time being serious. It was cheesy... but it was true.

Nick smirked and slowly let Harry go, sitting back up so he could drive. "Excellent," he said and tried to remember traffic laws so they wouldn't die on the way home.

In a blur, Nick had gotten them home and they wound up on the couch again. Harry was under him and he vaguely remembered closing the front door and pressing the wizard against it for long, heat hazy moments with lots of warm breath and searching hands before they stumbled from the room without separating. He slapped off a pillow, irritated when the damn thing impeded his groping of Harry. He really needed to feel more and he hoped Harry wouldn't stop him or say no.

"Harry," he murmured and leaned back enough to lift the wizard by his hips and tear his pants open. He nodded a 'thanks' when Harry helped, arching and holding his hips up, easing the way for his pants to be pushed down and be kicked off. Nick settled between Harry's legs and just stared. He was no stranger to seeing a dick but never in this context before. He cocked his head a little, wetting his bottom lip with a quick sweep of his tongue, and slowly reached out to wrap a hand around Harry. He was firm yet soft and really warm. He looked up into darkened green eyes, seeing amusement as well as arousal and grinned. "I'm bigger," he said, laughing when Harry's eyes slid closed with a chuckling moan. He moved his hand a little, still unsure why something so stupid had come out of his mouth. Luckily, Harry didn't slap him away or give any sort of negative reaction.

Harry wasn't particular with size. Honestly, he didn't care. It wasn't so much that Nick claimed to be bigger, but just the whole damn situation. Nick had his hand on his cock and he wasn't shrinking away or looking confused or disgusted. No, Nick looked interested and turned the fuck on. He peeked back down and his breath stuttered when Nick's hand began to move in steady, firm strokes. He felt a bit exposed being the only one with his dick out, and as much as he really _really_ wanted to return the favor, he was happy to just lay back and enjoy. For now.

"This OK?" Nick asked, looking up at Harry again. He could guess. Harry was flushed, leaking and his hips kept twitching up in sexy little jerks. Harry nodded and he shifted further down his thighs, so he could lean down for a kiss easier. He smiled against Harry's lips when the kiss was eagerly returned, Harry's hand coming up to fist in his hair in an almost-too-tight grip. "How long have you wanted... this?" he asked softly, looking down at a now blushing Harry. It was probably stupid to ask, and most definitely the wrong time, but he really wanted to know. Probably to keep himself from feeling like a lecherous pervert; he had more-than-friendly feelings for the wizard practically since he met him.

Harry didn't know how honest to be. He had been smitten the first time he saw Nick's picture, but that first meeting was probably when he actively wanted to just spread himself out on the Detective's desk, naked, and be ravished (or pounce on the man and do the ravishing, he wasn't picky). He shivered; the mental image making him twitch in Nick's hand. "I'm not answering that."

"Aw," Nick pouted and leaned down for another kiss, nibbling and nipping at Harry's bottom lip gently, moving his free hand up Harry's chest in a slow caress. "C'mon, stroke-" he drew his hand along Harry's cock and chest in a languid motion at the same time, "-a man's ego, Harry."

Harry's eyes fluttered closed as Nick's fingers fluttered over and flicked at one pebbled nipple. Damn. "No."

"Must have been for awhile, then," Nick guessed, feeling a bit smug and touched, and continued moving his hand in a slow but firm strokes over Harry's cock, his thumb brushing the head every other pass or so. His hand was already slick and a bit sticky from the liberal amounts of pre-come and he was more than a little surprised to notice he was very hard and leaking into his boxer-briefs as well. Huh. He squirmed atop Harry, wincing at the wet patch rubbing against him as he tried to ease the pressure, and nimble fingers had his own jeans opened like magic (maybe it was?) and a smaller, dexterous hand was wiggling into his underwear. "Oh fuck, Harry," he moaned, his head flopping back, when hot fingers wrapped around him. God that felt good.

Harry didn't answer; he didn't have to. Nick, apparently, knew and he wasn't making fun of him. He leaned up and happily accepted another kiss when Nick leaned down again. It was messier and Nick's tongue swept through his mouth forcefully but it was wonderful nonetheless. He moaned into Nick's mouth and arched into his hand, his body tightening. He tried to will his orgasm away but it was getting harder and harder to fight, no matter how much he wanted to make the moment last. Nick's other hand was gently cupping and kneading his balls and he nearly lost it.

"You must wank a lot," he gasped out, writhing and moaning from the talented hands. He bit his tongue, willing himself not to speak anymore. It was stupid but it blurted out, he couldn't imagine any other reason for the almost-expert touch. The mental image of Nick touching himself in such a way had him covering his eyes and moaning softly.

A feeling of triumph and giddiness settled over him at the thought that he was the only other Nick had touched in such a way. It was almost as thrilling as Nick's hand on him.

"Wank?" Nick asked but none of his movements stopped, his lips went from Harry's lips to his jaw. He nuzzled his cheek against Harry's, he sort of liked the slight burn from the stubble. His teeth nipped at the strong jawline and he reveled in Harry's breathless gasp in reaction. The wizard didn't sit still or make it a secret that each touch affected him; he moaned, writhed and gave as good as he got. Every noise was quiet, but still audible. It was fucking sexy and he had to close his eyes and grit his teeth for a moment.

Between Harry's wicked hand and the erotic noises coming from his mouth, he was so close. It was almost embarrassing how quickly, too. He normally could go a bit longer. Had it been that long or did Harry just turn him on that much? He realized it was both. He whimpered and buried his face in Harry's neck when he felt fingers ghost across his crack, the caress making his hips twitch back into the touch, as a hand stroked him with perfect pressure and timing. He didn't know when his pants had gone to his knees and he really didn't care. Harry had both hands working him and he was about to explode. "Harry," he muttered, unsure if he just liked saying it or if it was a subtle plea for the man to slow down. It was too good to stop now but he didn't want it to end yet. Lips, teeth and a wet tongue trailed up his neck and he shuddered with a muffled grunt of pleasure.

Harry groaned at the whisper of his name and doubled his efforts. His wrist was starting to ache and he was using all his restraint not to wiggle a finger (or two) inside Nick, fearing the reaction. Merlin, he'd rather have his mouth where his hands were but he made do. Next time, he promised himself. He nipped at the chest level with his mouth and mouthed the muscles lurking under the thin cotton, arching up when Nick's hand tightened in response. "Nick," he breathed and couldn't stop from coming if he tried. He arched sharply and twitched, gasping and managed to splatter both of them.

"Holy shit that's hot," Nick groaned just before his eyes snapped closed and his own orgasm surged hotly through him. He felt Harry's hand loosen just a bit but it kept moving, the stokes and touches gentle and prolonging his orgasm a bit longer. One last gentle squeeze and he was released just before he would've become over-sensitized. He looked down and saw Harry carefully tuck him away, one last lingering caress over his now underwear covered crotch before pulling away. He sat up on his knees just enough to be able to wriggle and squirm, one hand working his pants back up. Before he could flop down, probably smushing Harry, Harry's hands were easing under his shirt and caressing his skin with feather-light touches. He shivered lightly at the touch, his eyes closing in pleasure as goosebumps erupted over his sensitive skin. God, that felt good too. The drag of lightly calloused fingertips and short, blunt nails made him shiver again as fingers ghosted over a nipple and down his ribs.

Harry softly touched Nick's chest, regretting they hadn't gotten a chance to get more naked when he felt firm muscles and the defined pecs under his hands. He lazily waved his hand over their sprawled bodies, shivering lightly as the cleaning charm left a brief tingly chill as it vanished all traces of their orgasms. He fisted the soft material of Nick's t-shirt in his free hand and pulled Nick down, catching him a lazy, deep kiss. He was still naked from the waist down but he didn't let it bother him at the moment. He didn't know what to say so he just tucked himself into Nick's shoulder and laid quietly, enjoying the pleasant warmth and weight on top of him.

Nick settled, keeping quiet as well, enjoying the feeling of Harry curled against him. He briefly worried he was squishing the wizard but realized Harry would ask him to move or get up if that were the case. He yawned and nuzzled his face into Harry's neck. He didn't know if he should say anything. He hadn't a clue _what_ to say, not really. Somehow 'thanks' or 'probably the best hand-job of my life' seemed a bit... crude. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, though, so there was no urge to speak and fill the quiet. He heard Harry yawn and chuckled softly, finally rousing himself enough to wriggle off of the comfortable wizard and managed to stand. "We really gotta stop doin' this on the couch like horny teenagers," he snickered as he pulled Harry up. He stepped closer and helped the wizard pull his pants up. And if his hands lingered as he 'helped', he heard no complaints.

"Hmm," Harry hummed, only slightly agreeing. He liked that Nick went mindless enough to flop onto the neatest soft surface when he touched him. "Maybe," he mused. He could agree with the 'horny teenager' part, too. Though, he hadn't exactly been the most normal specimen. He hadn't really ever had the chance to go through that phase. "I kinda like it," he said and grinned cheekily, the smile softening when Nick's hand came up to smooth a hand through his hair. It was probably sticking up like he had been electrocuted. Not that he could do much about it.

Nick just hummed back, focusing his attention on playing with Harry's hair. If the wizard minded his ministrations, he didn't say. When Harry's eyes fluttered shut and he leaned into the touch, he decided he'd be doing it more often. Harry looked like a cat grooving on a long petting. If the man purred right now, he wouldn't have been surprised in the least. "Didn't really grow outta that, huh?" he asked softly, having a rough idea how the other man's past must have been from the bits and pieces Harry had shared. It was rather depressing to think about so he shook the thoughts away and focused on how good Harry felt instead. He closed the small distance and wrapped his arms around Harry, hugging tightly.

"No," Harry answered just as softly, leaning into the hug and lazily wrapping his arms around Nick's waist. It was so nice to just be hugged. He snorted, unable to stifle the sound, when he realized his pants were still open. Nick had shimmied them up but he didn't close them. "Sorry, just realized I'm still obscenely under dressed."

Nick pulled back and let his gaze roam Harry. "Not nearly under dressed enough," he muttered. He really wanted see what Harry would look like completely naked. He bet the other man was an alluring mix of sexy and adorable. He chuckled when Harry pinked and slapped at him. "C'mon," he said, grabbing his hand and heading up the stairs. "Bed time. I think we'll need an early start tomorrow."

"Yeah," Harry agreed, reluctantly. Monroe had sniffed out something familiar and they needed to check up on the area, even though the _Blutbad_ plainly said the scent was old, at least a few days. He had to check it though, he needed to see if he could decipher a pattern. It was frustrating! He sighed, reality again sneaking in and reminding him just why he was there and it wasn't for Nick Burkhardt.

He passed Nick and headed into his bathroom, intent on doing a more thorough clean-up and brush his teeth. He didn't enjoy the weird clammy feeling that the cleaning charm occasionally left on his skin but it was handy in a pinch. He tossed his t-shirt, uncaring where it landed, and transfigured his pants into soft cottony sleep pants. He jumped when he noticed Nick leaning against the doorway, hooded blue-grey eyes watching him lazily. "Hm?"

Nick shook his head. He didn't want anything, he was just watching. He smiled at the goofy sleep pants, only a little bummed they were blocking his view. "Do you always wear those to bed?" he asked, indicating the quirky pants. As he admired the view, he could have sworn one of the balls flapped its wings in a quick, buzzing sort of way that reminded him of a hummingbird or a bee.

"No," Harry said, trying not to blush. He slipped them off and slept either in his briefs or nothing. The pants were just what he wore until then. "Uh," he said, looking at Nick in the mirror. "I'm assuming you're here to escort me somewhere else?" he asked, hoping it were true. He didn't hate waking up with the Grimm but he was reluctant to ask for it again. He really didn't want to assume anything, even if Nick didn't seem to mind him hogging his bed and kicking him.

Nick grinned, nodding. "I'm officially kicking you out of my guest room." He laughed when Harry's dark eyebrow rose and he paused in his brushing. "You can, like, keep your stuff here but you're sleeping with me," he stated, forcing a bravado he didn't quite feel. He was nervous as hell Harry would refuse. He really couldn't _make_ the guy snuggle in with him. How pathetic would _that_ be?

"I see," Harry mumbled through a mouth full of foam. He spit, rinsed, wiped his mouth and turned, leaning against the sink as he crossed his arms and looked Nick over. Honestly, why was he looking worried? He was trying like hell to hide it but he could see Nick's nerves, obviously hoping he'd agree. He felt a little gooey as he realized it, too. Stupid, sappy Gryffindor-ness. He smiled and nodded, finally putting the Grimm out of his misery. The answering smile had his stomach fluttering very pleasantly. "I kick," he reminded.

Nick shrugged, ridiculously happy he got his way. He pulled Harry closer by the waistband of his pants and cupped his ass. "I got used to it." Well, not yet. It was only the one time, but he _could_. Quite easily, he was sure. It wasn't exactly kicking, Harry just seemed to have restless legs unless they were pinned or tucked in his knees. Which, again, he could get used to. He grinned again, enjoying the way Harry squirmed. "You aren't wearing any underwear. That's so... hot," he murmured. Please, he hoped, let the man be in the habit of sleeping naked!

"I usually don't," Harry said, feeling his cheeks warm. "To bed," he clarified when Nick's eyebrows rose. "I'll get a pair before I-"

"You really don't have to," Nick interrupted, leaning in.

Harry snorted and rolled his eyes. "I do, though. I'm not sleeping starkers with you. Not just yet."

"Fine," Nick huffed with an exaggerated moue of disappointment. He could appreciate the logic, really he could, but he wanted to pout until Harry changed his mind. He just wanted to see, he wasn't going to molest the man. Much. He chuckled to himself, reluctantly agreeing it was best Harry had some level of modesty preserved if that's what he needed. He dragged Harry from the bathroom and paused, pointedly waiting at the simple dresser. He nodded when Harry rolled his eyes and dug out a pair of underwear. A cute little red pair. "Don't you own any plain ol' tighty whities?" he asked, eyeing the red briefs. They seemed to have a lion's head on the front and it was strangely sexy. He knew it was a school mascot of sorts, so it wasn't that odd to see the large feline on something Harry owned. Maybe that could be a cute sappy nickname? He looked up and could see Harry being his little lion. Yeah, he rather liked that.

Harry snickered and walked out, leaving Nick in a stunned state in the middle of the guest room. "No," he said when Nick finally caught up. He leaned into the embrace when Nick wrapped his arms around him from behind. "I don't like boring underpants," he said, thinking about the stretched out, holey ones he had worn growing up. He hated plain white ones, unless they had an interesting style. "Besides, these were a gift," he said, lightly stroking the soft material. He didn't mention the lion was charmed to roar, but thankfully it was silent; frozen with a stasis charm. He didn't like to hear it all day (or while he was around Muggles) -it was quite embarrassing to have your bits roaring at odd moments. He still snickered and felt warm whenever he saw them. Malfoy's idea of a joke but he had loved (and savored) the horrified look on the git's face when he said he had actually liked them and wore them proudly. "Well... a joke gift," he explained when Nick made a questioning hum, obviously curious who'd give him underwear as a gift.

"So not funny," Nick muttered. He had never thought or cared about what kind of underwear people wore (something that had irritated Juliette when she'd suffer through lace or thongs 'for him' and he didn't notice or couldn't bring himself to care) and he didn't even think they had something fancy like that for guys. Again, maybe it was just because it was Harry but he felt quite warm about the whole idea. He poked at the lion face and hummed again. The picture was kind of distorted and set in a very odd manner. Like they'd been frozen mid-roar. "Do they do anything?" he asked, looking up. It seemed almost normal that Harry would have magic underwear.

Harry pulled the underwear behind his back, flushing violently. Damning the observant Grimm, he muttered "Yes", unwilling and unable to lie, and tried to wiggle away. He was so not going to show off his roaring underwear! It was just too weird to even consider. He didn't get far when Nick pinned him against the wall right by the master bedroom and leaned down enough to aline their chests and force eye contact. He gulped and tried to ball the red briefs up tightly, hoping the man would forget all about them if he couldn't see them.

"Like what?" Nick asked, his nose nearly touching Harry's. "I won't laugh," he said solemnly when he saw the blush staining Harry's cheeks. Yeah, it was weird to be talking about underwear but he was intrigued. Even more so by the way Harry was blushing and trying to avoid looking at him. What could they possibly do to cause such a reaction? He _had_ to know.

Harry sucked his teeth and looked away, the enchanting blue-grey eyes almost like an _Imperious_. "It's really embarrassing and I don't ever wear them when they move." He had, once, but he was not ever telling another person about that. Ever.

"They _move_?" Nick breathed. He wasn't sure how to take that. Did the underwear themselves like... wiggle? Or did the lion move around, like an animation? Either way, it was very intriguing. He looked to the side, hoping to catch sight of the interesting underwear but only saw a small peek of red poking out of the side of Harry's fist. He fought the urge to force Harry's hand open and inspect the red garment himself.

Harry groaned. Why the fuck did he say that? He blamed Nick, the stupid Grimm, with his sexy eyes, hard chest and... dammit. "Yeah. And... uhm..." the rest trailed off into Nick's shoulder, unheard.

"What?"

"Roar."

Nick stilled. "Oh." He grinned and pressed himself against Harry. "Can I see?" he asked softly, fully aware he was being completely unfair when he shifted and pressed against Harry shamelessly, a shaky shuddering breath told him he was successful in his goal of turning Harry on. One of the perks of knowing how the male brain worked, he knew lust would short-circuit anything else and Harry would do anything he asked. He wasn't above using under-handed tactics. He really wanted to see!

"Why?" Harry asked, wincing slightly at the whine in his voice. "It's just underwear. Surely you don't have some sort of kink," he said, hoping a good-natured teasing would drop the issue. Sadly, it didn't work; Nick only grinned at him again and rubbed against him in a madding way that had his pulse sky-rocketing and a whimper-y moan getting stuck in his throat as every inch of skin that was pressed against the other man tingled and tightened pleasurably. He slowly brought his hand up with the wrinkled underwear in it.

Nick shook his head slowly and leaned down to kiss Harry's neck and shoulder. He nuzzled against Harry's neck, moving so his mouth was right by his ear and spoke softly, "Very nice. But I meant, on. On and... moving."

" _Oh_ ," Harry breathed. He squirmed away and hurried back into his room, slamming the door behind him and throwing a locking charm up before Nick could follow. "One second!" he called out and hurriedly stripped off his pants and slid the underwear on and up. He snapped the elastic and looked down, glaring at the frozen, cheery lion face. What the hell was he _doing_? Why had he grabbed _these_ and started this whole crazy ordeal? Idiot. Of course... No, he was going to be mortified even if Nick liked the damn things. Somehow that would be worse because then Nick would ask to see them again. He put his pants back on and slowly crossed to the door, opening it cautiously. Nick was still there, hands on either side of the door frame and leaning forward eagerly. "You're serious?" he asked flatly.

Nick nodded. He was very serious. "Yeah."

"Fine." Harry pushed past Nick and headed into the master bedroom, very aware of Nick following behind him closely. "Merlin, this is so weird," he muttered.

Nick laughed and snuck up behind Harry, his hands resting on the waistband of the soft cotton sleep pants, finger dipping just enough to feel soft elastic. He wanted to just yank and see, but he'd wait. He could wait and let Harry do it on his own when he was ready. Maybe he'd strip slowly and... "Yeah, but we're used to weird, right?"

"Yeah," Harry said with a breathless laugh. That was quite true. With a deep sigh, unable to believe he was doing this, he shimmied out of his pants and turned, presenting Nick with himself in the small, red briefs. He closed his eyes, so he wouldn't roll them or see if Nick was amused, and he waved his hand to cancel the stasis charm. Immediately he heard a soft roar and his bits tingled as the roar vibrated against him. He didn't remember that part... It was an effort, but he managed not to dance around or thrust his hips at the sensation. "Well?"

Nick gaped, thoroughly entranced by the sight. The little red briefs were quite alluring on their own, actually. His eyes stopped wandering, taking in the way the briefs fit on the smaller man. They were quite tight and cottony. Harry's crotch was almost cradled in the material and it showed off the way his hip bones prominently book-ended a slightly defined 'v' of muscle. Nick looked at the cartoonish lion now shaking its head right over the tempting bulge in front and roaring in a way that he guessed was supposed to be fierce. If it wasn't a cute lion on a pair of cute red underwear, it probably would have been. He chewed the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing... or saying something cheesy. He knew neither would be appreciated and would probably have Harry refusing to be in such a state of (un)dress in front of him ever again.

Why would someone even make underwear that moved and made noise? (One more thing to confirm that wizards were a weird group, really.) He could completely understand why Harry would freeze the lion. "That is probably the weirdest thing I've seen in a long time. Sexy, but weird," he said stepping closer. He raised a hand, the urge to pet the lion overwhelming. It was only when he _did_ touch, he realized the lion was right over Harry's cock. He flushed but didn't pull away. "Does it purr?" he asked, moving his hand in a slow circle now, his palm doing most of the caressing.

"I don't know," Harry said quietly, his eyes still closed. He felt himself swaying towards Nick but didn't panic. Nick wouldn't let him topple over. He was still getting over Nick calling the damn thing 'sexy, but weird' and the sudden warmth caressing his bits wasn't unwelcome, either. He shuddered when a vibrating sensation washed over him, sending sparks of warmth and desire through him, and he jerked away. Fuck, the thing _did_ purr. "Yes! Don't!"

Nick grinned and thought about continuing his petting but didn't want to press his luck. "Aw, why not?" he asked with a small pout. He was really enjoying the whole thing. He could feel the vibrating-hum from the lion as it purred and made nuzzling motions. He could only imagine how that felt pressed up against Harry's crotch. Oh. "Sorry."

"It's OK, it was just... unexpected. And embarrassing as fuck getting turned on by your underwear," he muttered. He quickly re-set the stasis, sighing with relief when the noise and sensations stopped. He was left with still tingling bits, though. He was thankfully still too damn embarrassed to further humiliate himself with an untimely erection. He was pretty sure it wouldn't bother Nick, but it was still awkward knowing his underpants aroused him. In front of Nick. "What?"

Nick shook his head and slipped his hands around Harry's waist, pulling him closer. He liked that Harry shared, even if it was kind of weird. "Nothing, really. Just... thanks. That was fun." He chuckled when Harry rolled his eyes, a flush still warming his cheeks, neck and part of his chest. He knew the man well enough know to know that was an aroused flush, as well as a little bit of embarrassment. He licked his lips. He really didn't blame the guy for getting turned-on, he just lamented not being able to let things run their course. Later, he vowed, they'd spend more time with this later. "Well, bedtime!" he said, chuckling again when the flush spread. He nuzzled Harry's warm neck. "Sleep. I'm tired and only wired on hormones right now. As soon as the blood redistributes, I'm going to pass out."

"Yeah, alright," Harry said quietly. He was in a similar state; his eyes already feeling heavy and gritty. He gently wiggled out of Nick's hold and watched the other man hurry to flip the light switch off and then fall onto his bed with a childish flop. He crawled in once Nick settled and was asleep moments after Nick pulled him against his chest.

-=#=-

Harry jumped, fumbling with his phone in an effort to stop the embarrassingly loud pop tune blasting from his pocket. He stared, horrified to hear the latest teenage pop singer blasting from the slim device, full volume. He was going to shave Teddy's head the next time he saw him, knowing he was to blame for the ringtone. "Yes?"

" _Potter._ "

Harry perked up and nearly dropped his phone. "Malfoy! Brilliant to hear from you!"

" _Wish I could deserve that,_ " Draco drawled, feeling bad for being the bearer of bad... well, no news. He sighed and rubbed at his forehead. " _I'm still looking through the records for the signatures._ " He felt a bit like an arse for calling out of the blue for no real reason now. It wasn't exactly something he and Potter did.

Harry slumped and fought the embarrassing urge to scream and throw a tantrum. For fuck's sake, he was a grown arsed man, and a professional at that. "Right," he said and cleared his throat. "How's that looking, then?"

" _Like a long and tedious task,_ " Draco said dryly. " _It's going a bit quicker than I anticipated, though. Granger is helping me._ "

Harry snorted. He didn't know why Malfoy insisted on calling Hermione 'Granger' even though she was a Weasley now; had been for a few years. Maybe it was easier than admitting he liked the witch and refused to address her by 'Hermione' for his own reasons. "I bet you two are happier than a niffler in your father's vault's."

" _Yes, well,_ " Draco said, clearing his throat. He didn't enjoy boring paperwork that much. Granger did, though; he could grant Potter that much. " _It's progressing nicely at any rate. We've narrowed it down to the Apparating licenses._ " He leaned back in his chair and buffed his nails on his shirt, enjoying Harry's excited squawk. The smallest things pleased that idiot. He grinned, thinking decidedly uncharitable thoughts of Potter's love-life. " _I fully expect to have gender sorted by tomorrow afternoon._ " Even though he fully expected 'male', he wouldn't assume and do a half-arsed research job. The type of short-sightedness would only bite him in the arse once.

Harry hummed thoughtfully and side-stepped a rushing Sargent Wu, watching with a raised brow as he headed right for Nick and Hank. "Well, that's all good news."

" _Yes, it is. How're things there?_ " Draco asked, swiveling his chair lightly from side to side.

Harry snorted and tried to hide his smile with his phone when Hank and Nick looked up. He was sure Malfoy was asking both about the case progress (which the git knew was stalled) and his... personal matters. "Fine, fine. Still at a bit of a standstill on this end. Have you heard from Ron?" he asked suddenly, hoping Malfoy had been in touch with the red-head, even if only through Hermione.

" _No,_ " Draco said, the 'thank Merlin' not needing to be said aloud but heard nonetheless. " _Is he helping as well?_ " he asked, breathing out an irritated, put-upon sigh. He already knew the answer, of course. Thankfully, it wasn't often Potter dragged the other two Golden Gits into their cases, but they helped tremendously whenever it did happen. He couldn't deny that fact, even if it annoyed the ever loving piss out of him. The Weasel was quite brilliant with numbers and strategy (he has yet to bet the Ginger Oaf at a chess game).

Harry fiddled with his shirt hem, fully aware how much that would annoy Malfoy. He squished the urge to apologize. "Yes. Ron's brilliant with that stuff."

" _Stuff,_ " Draco deadpanned. " _Stuff indeed._ "

Harry huffed and resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at the phone. Malfoy wouldn't see it and he'd looked like a complete mental case. "Yes. Stuff," he repeated firmly. He was standing firm on his lame description. "Anyway, I need to go. We're meeting up with Monroe in a few and I don't want to be distracted. Let me know when you find out more, yeah?"

" _Of course, Potter. You'll be the third to know,_ " Draco said with a smirk and hung up. He stretched, enjoying the fact he had disconnected first. Again. It was petty but very satisfying. He stood and made his way back to the file store room, stopping for two strong teas and cheese sandwiches. If he was peckish, surely Granger would appreciate a nibble as well.

Harry snorted and slid his phone away. Malfoy was probably enjoying his little moment. The arse. "Well, that was absolutely pointless."

"Nothing new?" Nick asked. Harry shook his head, his bottom lip being abused by his teeth. "Just calling to say hi, then?" he asked with a grin. He didn't think Harry's partner was that kind of guy.

Harry shrugged. "Apparently. He's working with my friend 'Mione, so I don't think we'll be waiting much longer." Malfoy had said as much but he knew his best friend well enough to know she saw Malfoy and 'offered' her help and it would go that much faster with her help. She enjoyed research and filing, the weirdo. He flopped back in his chair. "When are we meeting with Monroe?"

"About ten minutes," Nick said, checking the time. "You do remember the part where he said the scent was old?" he said, reminding Harry and hopefully forestalling any premature excitement.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I remember that part..." he muttered. He remembered it quite well. Monroe had sounded quite apologetic about it, too. He wasn't getting himself excited, though. He only hoped Monroe was able to see if there was a trail worth following. "I'm just glad he called before running out."

"Yeah, he's smarter than you or me," Nick said with a grin. He ducked, laughing, when Harry swatted at him.

-=#=-

"I told you it would be a dead-end."

Harry grumbled, saying nothing as he continued to follow Monroe. The _Blutbad_ had his head raised and he was inhaling deeply as he walked every few feet. He watched as Monroe wandered in a small circle, widening it as he sniffed. It was quite fascinating watching the man 'track' a scent.

"It stops here," Monroe said once he had gone another 20 feet or so. "But another one," he said, looking down and twirling a finger in the air. "A different one picks up." He sniffed and grimaced slightly. "Wizards kinda stink, man," he said apologetically. "I mean, you don't," he said quickly, looking at Harry. Maybe the other guys stunk because they used bad magic? He had no idea but Harry definitely didn't reek like the wizards he was tracking.

Harry chuckled, not at all offended. He could only imagine how a heightened sense of smell altered one's world perception. "It's fine." He watched Monroe do his sniff-circle-sniff thing again, wondering why the taller man stopped suddenly about 50 yards away. "What?"

"Lots of people, dude," Monroe said, his eyes a bit wide. "I can't even say... at least a dozen." Before he could mention it was wizards _and_ Wesen, Harry was already rushing over.

Harry hurried over to where Monroe was standing and drew his wand. "Please stand by Nick," he said, waiting until Monroe had shuffled off before waving his wand and muttering under his breath. He cursed when he came up blank on magical signature readings. How the fuck were they wiping that? He could only get the dissipating trace of an old ward and a few Muggle repellent charms. He turned around and looked at Monroe, "Did they go anywhere else?"

"No," Monroe said, shaking his head. "Sorry, man. They all just... vanish from there," he said, pointing at the spot a few feet from Harry. It was weird to have a scent just vanish, but he didn't know how else to describe it. They just... stopped. He guessed it was because they could do that teleporting thing, but it was still unnerving.

Harry nodded and kicked a tree. "Fuck." Well, at least they knew there were Death Eaters here. He turned in a slow circle, looking carefully at the surrounding area. There were no scuff marks in the dirt or grass, no bent vegetation, no real sign that there had been people here. He wasn't an expert tracker but there should be some obvious sign of people. "Why can't I find anything?" he muttered to himself. Even wards wouldn't completely camouflage basic traces of activity. Well, at least not that he knew. He waved his wand. Unsurprisingly, he didn't find anything still active that might've been able to distort what he saw. He quickly dug out his phone and called Malfoy. "Malfoy, I have a question."

" _Obviously, Potter,_ " Draco said, balancing the phone between his shoulder and cheek. He considered it his good luck he was still awake since Potter seemed determined to ignore the time difference. He didn't stifle the yawn that nearly cracked his jaw and hoped the git felt bad for bothering him. " _How may I be of service?_ " He asked it sarcastically but he was sure Potter didn't notice. Thick git.

Harry ignored the annoyed tone, feeling a bit bad for interrupting Draco's researching. Or sleep schedule. "Is there a way to wipe out the after-effects of magic?"

" _How do you mean?_ " Draco asked, sitting up straighter and putting down the file he was sorting through. He wasn't quite sure what Potter meant but it was troubling, nonetheless.

"Like, is there a way to remove the trace amounts of magic? Trace amounts of specific spells or just... magic overall?"

Draco pursed his lips and rubbed a hand through his hair. Something was tickling at the edge of his consciousness but he was too tired to think straight. " _Not that I'm aware of. But, Potter, do remember most magic naturally dissipates on it's own._ "

"Wards disappearing in a week?" Harry asked, rolling his eyes. Maybe simple charms would dissipate that fast, but wards and such weren't simple. Most were quite complicated, especially something that would block out and hide such a large area. That sort of power concentration took months, if not years, to fully dissipate.

Draco paused and huffed. " _No, not generally in a week. Are you sure about the time frame?_ "

"Pretty sure," Harry said, biting the corner of his mouth. He trusted Monroe's senses. If the Blutbad said the scent was a week old, it was a week old. "Would a day or two matter?"

Draco snorted softly. " _No, a day or two, in the grand scheme of things, wouldn't matter._ " He sighed and rubbed at his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. " _Are you giving me more things to research, you great prat?_ "

"Uhm. No?"

" _Potter._ "

"Well, sorta? I don't know where else to look, Malfoy. I can't exactly Google this shit, you know."

Draco laughed, despite himself. " _Touché. Oh, hold on,_ " he muttered into the phone when he saw Granger come in. He covered the speaker part, just in case. "Granger, would you know of a way to eradicate the evidence of magic in a short time frame?"

"Sure," Hermione said and sat down at the desk butted up against the one Malfoy was using. She set a styrofoam cup of tea down on each desk, balancing a package of biscuits on top. "Doodle some runes," she said, miming a drawing in the air, "and use some naturally charged rocks and you can cleanse an area of pretty much any magic residue. Why?" she asked, opening her package of biscuits. She was a little surprised Malfoy didn't already know that. Lots of rituals, Light and Dark magic alike, required a 'clean' area so generally you did the cleansing before, but it could be used just as easily after.

Draco gaped (well, his lips parted slightly, but it was a Malfoy gape) and then smiled widely at Granger. "You are a genius, Granger! Have I ever told you that?" Besides for using the word 'doodle, but he kept that to himself.

"No," Hermione said dryly, but feeling pleased nonetheless at the compliment. "But I'm glad you finally realize it, Malfoy. Who's on the phone?" she asked, nodding her head towards the cell phone still in his hand. She bit into her biscuit, sighing wistfully at the half-staleness. She really should have brought some from home, but she had a feeling Ronald probably ate them all by now. He couldn't help himself when it came to his mum's baking.

Draco sighed and handed the phone to the witch, anticipating her reaction. "Potter." He nearly threw it the rest of the way across the desks when Granger made a high-pitched screaming, shrieking noise. Ugh. He had hoped such an intelligent witch wouldn't act like a prepubescent fan-girl.

" _Harry!_ " Hermione said loudly, before she even got the phone up to her ear. " _How are you?_ "

Harry smiled, no longer annoyed to be on hold or thinking he had been forgotten. "Hey 'Mione! I'm good. Are you helping Malfoy?" he asked, grinning widely.

" _I am,_ " Hermione said and giggled, lowering her voice. " _He's quite handy when it comes to files, you know. How are things there?_ "

Harry cleared his throat and tried to keep the goofy grin off his face. He was here on a sodding murder case but he just wanted to gush about Nick. "The case is a bit... halted."

" _And... other things?_ " Hermione asked, grinning. Malfoy was such a gossip, she was aware Harry had himself a crush on the local Muggle detective. After seeing the file and picture, she couldn't blame Harry. At all. If she weren't a happily married witch...

Harry sighed and fought another smile. "'Mione, I'm here on an official case."

" _Uh huh..._ " Hermione said, biting into her last biscuit, not buying the excuse for one second.

"The states are nice." Harry said. He rolled his eyes when there was only expectant silence. "What did that git tell you?" he asked with a soft sigh.

Hermione laughed. " _He said you were all moony-eyed over the Muggle detective. I saw the picture, Harry, and I don't blame you._ " She turned in her chair and leaned forward, pitching her voice lower again. " _Is he really that handsome?_ " Well she was thinking _delicious_ , but she didn't want to offend Harry or have him make that embarrassed, disgusted groaning sound again.

"Oh Merlin..." Harry groaned. "Yes," he whispered, eyes darting to see where Nick was. He didn't mind if the Grimm overheard him describing his many attractive attributes but he didn't really want to gush like a school girl in front of Monroe. He cleared his throat softly. "Did you hear the question I asked Malfoy about the magic traces?"

Hermione sighed, feeling cheated out of gossip; she hadn't talked to Harry in ages it seemed and she missed him. Nick must be standing near-by or she was quite sure Harry would've indulged her. Just a little. " _Yes. I already told him it's quite possible and relatively easily. The right runes and some naturally charged stones will cleanse an area of most magical residue._ "

"Really?" Harry murmured. Before Hermione could be offended and think he didn't believe her, he hurried on. "I didn't know that. Which runes and stones?"

Hermione shuffled some papers. " _I don't know the exact ones... off the top of my head,_ " she admitted, sounding annoyed.

"Oh. Can you find out? I'd like to know. Maybe I can check some local stores to see if someone has bought the stones." Even as he said it, he knew it was unlikely. No one tracked the sale of rocks, for Merlin's sake. But with luck, maybe someone remembered selling to an oddly dressed wizard.

" _I'll check on it and send what I find, alright? I don't know where you'd buy such stones in a Muggle area, but it's worth a look. So,_ " Hermione said and giggled when she heard Harry sigh. " _Oh, indulge me, Harry!_ " she whined and squealed softly when Harry sighed again, this time in acceptance and acquiescence. " _Is he tall or short?_ "

Harry turned away from Nick and Monroe, relieved to see the men talking amongst themselves and hopefully not listening in. "Tall. But, 'Mione, nearly everyone is taller than me," he added, chuckling. Even Teddy was nearly his height and he knew it wouldn't be long before he was looking up at his godson.

" _True, Harry,_ " Hermione said brightly. " _Do you work well together?_ "

Harry stifled the inappropriate urge to moan or leer. They did work quite well together, in lots of ways. He couldn't stop the smile, though. "Yeah, he's very cooperative."

" _Mhm. I bet._ " Hermione paused for a moment, a thoughtful look on her face. She squealed again and whispered loudly," _You've kissed him, haven't you?_ "

Harry sputtered, nearly dropping his phone. How did she _do_ that? She couldn't even see his face! "What?" he said, his voice a near squeak.

" _Oh, come off it. I heard it in your voice, you silly man. Well, I'm taking that as a yes. Good for you, Harry!_ " Hermione cheered. " _Is it serious?_ " she asked after a moment. Harry didn't do 'casual' very well and she was a bit concerned since this Nick was in a different country. The thought of Harry being heartbroken just made her sad.

Harry sighed and turned around to look at Nick. He didn't know and he certainly wasn't going to discuss it with Hermione first. "I gotta go, 'Mione. Let Malfoy know I appreciate the help, yeah? And you as well."

" _Alright, Harry,_ " Hermione said, realizing Harry was avoiding her question for a good reason. She had to respect that but it was hard sometimes to smother the urge to make sure he was alright. She wondered how Malfoy maintained an aloof-yet caring attitude. " _Take care, alright? I'll message you those runes and stones._ "

"Thanks, 'Mione. I'll talk to you later," Harry said softly and disconnected the call. He felt bad about it, but he wasn't ready to discuss his maybe-relationship with Nick in the middle of the woods with Hermione. He adored his best friend, he did, but she could get a bit too involved at times and he was quite sure he should be discussing such things with Nick first. If there were such things to discuss... He chewed his lip and jumped when Nick grabbed his arm.

Nick jumped as well and rubbed his hand over Harry's back, not really caring if Monroe saw it. "You OK?"

"Yeah," Harry said and tucked his phone away. "So, 'Mione says there is a way to basically erase all traces of magic and it only takes runes and stones. I think it was originally intended to 'cleanse' areas for rites and rituals... Fuck, that's depressing."

Nick nodded, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulder and gently squeezing. "Sound like it. I mean, seems pretty easy to wipe the scene clean."

"Yeah," Harry agreed miserably. He peeked over Nick's shoulder and saw Monroe intently studying a tree. He smiled, feeling oddly touched the Blutbad was trying to give them privacy. He sighed and rested his head on Nick's shoulder. "Well, they can't wipe out their stink so that's something."

Nick chuckled and let his cheek rest on the top of Harry's head for a moment. "That's the spirit, always look on the bright side."

"Fuck off," Harry grouched, only succeeding in making the Grimm laugh. He extracted himself from Nick gently and took his wand out again. "Damn. Until I know what to look for, I can't summon the stones. _If_ they left them." He didn't see why they wouldn't. Most wizards were lazy in that regard, and it helped if they had the 'I can always buy more' attitude and left everything behind.

Nick just wrapped an arm around Harry again, offering comfort and hoping to perk him up a bit. "Well, let's get some dinner. We'll come back later if they send you something." Harry nodded and he lead him back down the way they came, following Monroe as the _Blutbad_ lead the way. He didn't quite remember where they were, but Monroe could find their way again with little to no problem. "You OK?" he asked quietly. He hated seeing Harry so down. Not for the first time, he wondered if this case would burn the wizard out on being an Auror. He didn't know why the idea cheered him as much as it saddened him. It was a very strange combination to feel squirm through him.

"Yeah," Harry sighed, leaning into Nick for a moment and thankful for the comfort. "Where we goin'?"

Monroe turned and grinned at the pair behind him. "I ain't cookin'," he said firmly. He didn't mind cooking, he quite enjoyed having everyone over, but he figured they could use an excuse to indulge in something unhealthy. Harry especially.

"Ah. Well. Pizza?" Three shrugs answered and they followed Monroe out of the woods and piled into Nick's car for a short drive to food.

Harry was moodily picking at his second slice when he started violently. He sheepishly took out his phone. When would he get used to that thing buzzing his arse? He tapped his phone and opened the newest message. He groaned at how long it was. Great. _**Hi Harry! I found lots of stones that could be used for a magical site cleansing. Agate/Fire Agate. Amethyst. Apache's Tear. Apatite. Bronzite. Green Calcite. Copper (conductor, would be used to amp the power). Flourite. Garnet. Hawk's eye. Hematite. Howlite. Lodestone. Moonstone. Onyx. Pyrite. Quartz (multi. varieties, most useful). There are probably more, but these are the most common. Sorry it wasn't more specific, Harry. Let me know if you need more. I took pictures of the runes and will send them separately. -Hermione. ******_

"Well?" Nick asked after Harry continued staring at his phone. It buzzed in Harry's hands, startling the wizard again, and he watched as Harry frowned. "What?"

Harry looked up and blinked. "Oh, sorry. Just-" he sighed and handed Nick the phone. The pictures didn't help; he hadn't seen any runes at the last site and they weren't the same as the ones the Death Eaters had been painting all over Wesen's houses.

"So..." Nick said, handing the phone back. He really only saw doodles, strange squared off doodles. Even after the times he had spent with the wizard, he didn't get the whole 'rune' thing, and none were familiar to him anyway.

Harry just shrugged. "At least we got the list of rocks."

Nick could only nod. There was indeed a (rather long) list of rocks. "Yeah, well, we'll have lots to do tomorrow then."

"True," Harry said with a soft snort. "Sorry," he said, realizing he was being moody and kind of a downer. "Well, at least it's something."

He gratefully crawled into bed with Nick later, not even waiting to be asked or dragged there. He didn't lay awake long, brooding and sorting details about the case in his head, surprisingly enough. He snuggled against Nick, leaned into the soft kiss placed on his neck and he was out before he knew it.

-=#=-

Nick poked at his phone, a bit annoyed he Harry had left him behind to check on a few leads. He was a little relieved the wizard had taken Monroe, though. He spun in his chair and stared at his phone. It hadn't buzzed, beeped or rang in hours and he was getting antsy waiting for Harry to call with an update.

Not that he had to. Nick would just appreciate being kept informed.

He sighed and spun around in his chair some more.

"Stop it, man," Hank said, pleading softly. "You're making me dizzy."

Nick stopped the movement with a hand on his desk. "Sorry." He tapped his fingers on the blotter, stopping immediately -his fingers curling into his palm reflexively- when Hank's attention was on him, a disgruntled look on his face. He poked at his phone again. He felt like a goober waiting for a boy to call. The fact that he pretty much _was_ made him want to scowl and chuck his phone across the station.

"Go pace the hall or something, man. You're driving me crazy," Hank said, not even looking up from the report he was trying to write. He looked up when Nick made no move to comply. He leveled a dry glare at the Grimm, an eye brow raised showing he was serious. He nodded when Nick stood, rolling his eyes, and slunk away. "Damn fool," he muttered and went back to what he was doing.

Nick paced the hallway, fiddling with his phone as he did. He slipped into a less crowded hallway when he got odd looks from Wu and Renard. He paced some more, tapping the screen of his phone, willing it to ring. He shouldn't be worried; Harry was a trained professional and he had a very competent _Blutbad_ with him. The man had been through a war, for fuck's sake. He was overreacting but he couldn't rein it in.

He stopped in his pacing, his hands dropping to his sides as the strangest thought occurred to him. He wasn't worried because Harry was on official business. No, this was the sort of worrying he did when Juliette had worked late or went to bad neighborhoods in her mobile vet van.

He idly wondered if having personal epiphanies in the middle of a crowded police station was normal or not.

Probably not. But he didn't exactly define the word 'normal', now did he?

Nick went back to pacing, absently chewing on a thumbnail as he stared at his annoyingly silent phone. He stilled himself with an effort and made himself lean against a wall. That done, he lifted the phone and slid a finger across the screen to wake the thing into action. No missed calls or messages. He busied himself with playing with features and stupid games but it didn't hold his attention for long.

His thoughts were back on Harry. The worry was replaced by less appropriate thoughts to be having in the middle of a crowded police station. Images flashed through his mind and he adjusted himself as subtly as he could. He wasn't sure how he would be able to keep himself from wrapping his arms around the wizard when he saw him again; especially if Harry came back unharmed. He quickly opened the web browser application and before he could second guess himself, typed in 'gay sex'. Might as well do some research while he waited... Harry shouldn't be the only one that knew what was going on.

His eyes widened as the small screen filled with images and websites. He goggled, truly stunned by the sheer volume of... information. He hadn't any idea. He looked around quickly and confirmed he was still alone in the hallway before tapping the first one. He nearly dropped his phone as an image of two naked men kissing passionately filled the screen. Holy shit. As he looked, most of it appeared to be porn. Detailed, hot as fuck, graphic _porn_. He forced himself to look past a few more images (reminding himself to go back and try the zoom feature on his phone) and pressed something that looked like a website.

He read the near-clinical way someone had detailed the step-by-step ways one went about anal sex. He had no idea it was so involved. It was written in a dry and almost unappealing way but as soon as he imagined himself _doing_ the things listed (and maybe _having_ them done), it rapidly turned into something exciting. He shifted himself as subtly as he could in his jeans again and went back to the images. With slightly shaky fingers, he tapped the picture and used two fingers to zoom the image. A close up of a man with a cock in his mouth had him darting glances around the hallway again. He moved the picture around, staring intently at the obscene, yet erotic, way the kneeling man's lips were stretch-

"Nick."

Nick muttered a harsh curse under his breath and fumbled with his phone, hastily clicking the screen lock on and shoving it in his pocket. "Yeah?" he said, looking around, his heart thudding almost painfully in his chest from being startled. He was quite glad to notice he didn't sound like he'd been about to come in his pants if left alone much longer.

"You alright, man?" Hank asked, his eyes narrowed a bit as he took in Nick's flushed face and tense shoulders. He really hoped Nick wasn't pissed at him for telling him to fuck off earlier. He really should understand how annoying that kinda shit was when you were trying to work.

Nick nodded, one hand rubbing over his heated face while the other shoved his phone deeper into his pocket. "Yeah, I'm good."

"You sure?"

Nick huffed a breath. "Yeah. Just... tense."

"Yeah, I see that," Hank said and moved to stand next to Nick when a few unformed officers tried to walk past him. "He'll be fine, man." He knew what crawled up Nick's ass and while it was kind of adorable it was also kind of annoying to have to see it. Maybe a little unprofessional too, all things considered, but he really couldn't blame the guy. He saw Nick peeking at him from the corner of his eye and nod, thankful for the reassuring words. "I got half of the reports filled out; wanna get some lunch?"

Nick nodded, clapping Hank on the shoulder. "Good idea, my friend." He waved his hand in front of him, gesturing for Hank to lead. He was still... excited and didn't need Hank noticing. The bastard wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut. He followed Hank outside and to the small diner they ate at often enough to have the waitress wave at them and point to the table up front they sat at whenever they could. He grinned and hurried into his seat. "So, when we get back, I'll do the rest of the reports."

"Damn right, you are," Hank said, grinning.

By the time Nick was picking at the last of his cold french fries, he was calmed down and nearly had put his impromptu informational gathering out of his mind. He jumped when his phone buzzed in his pocket and carefully took it out, making sure Hank couldn't see it. He sighed with relief when the last image was blocked by the call logo thing and Harry's picture. He quickly answered. "Harry?"

" _Hi Nick,_ " Harry said brightly. He nodded as Monroe pointed to a hot-dog cart and he held up two fingers. " _Just thought I'd let you know we're done. Getting lunch._ "

Nick tried not to sigh with relief and just hummed. He mentally sorted out what to say and rejected everything that made him sound like a worrisome wife or an asshole that didn't trust Harry to take care of himself. "Thanks," he finally said, truly grateful for the information.

" _You're welcome. So, do you want me to tell you about it later, then?_ " Harry asked, sensing Nick wasn't in the mood to talk for some reason. He really thought Nick would be plying him for information.

"Yeah, that works. When are you guys coming back?"

Harry hummed and took the hot-dogs from Monroe with a mouthed 'thank you'. " _I dunno, about an hour? Monroe drove, so..._ " he trailed off. He had laughed when Monroe had pouted upon learning they wouldn't apparate since he had brought his car. He felt surreal later promising the _Blutbad_ he'd apparate him somewhere. Rosalee's shop sold some stones and he was sure they could pop in unnoticed in the back room. Monroe had been like a kid at Christmas. " _That alright?_ " he asked when Nick made no further comments.

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine. I'll see you when you get here." Nick quickly disconnected the call and squashed the urge to groan and bury his face in his hands. The moment he had heard Harry's voice, he was assaulted with images as well as relief and other... feelings. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed Hank looking at him curiously. "What?"

Hank shook his head and drank the rest of his coffee. "Nothin' man. Just weird. You been pacing since the guy left and when he finally calls, you barely say two words to him? You feelin' shy 'cause I'm here?" he teased. He was curious though. Nick hadn't had a problem going all gooey when he talked with Juliette in front of him. Was he self-conscious because Harry was a guy? It would be silly, if so; he didn't give a shit about that and he was pretty sure Nick already knew that. Maybe they weren't at the 'mushy' stage...? He couldn't see either man doing that kinda shit. He wasn't sure he wanted to know, really. Other people's relationships weren't really something he cared to know too much about.

"No," Nick said, frowning. He hadn't thought of that. He was just trying to keep it short so he wouldn't waste time. The sooner Harry got back, the sooner he'd see him. And he was a little concerned he'd steer the conversation towards what he had been looking at and that wasn't something he wanted to do over the phone. Or in front of Hank. "Would that, uh, bother you?" he asked, maintaining eye contact.

Hank snorted and leaned back in his chair. "No more than it grossed me out when you did that shit with Juliette."

"Oh," Nick said and grimaced. He had been rather gross when they had first started getting serious about each other. He distinctly remembered one occasion of baby talk... He really hoped Hank hadn't witnessed that. "No, I just didn't want to interrupt his lunch. He was getting something with Monroe."

Hank nodded and wiped his mouth, tossing his napkin carelessly onto his empty plate. "Well, you're buying as well as finishing the reports," he said with a happy wave as he stood and sauntered out of the diner.

Nick watched Hank go with a light shake of his head. He didn't know where Harry and Monroe were headed and he wanted to kick himself for not asking. It was nearly 4, so he doubted they would come to the station... He slid out his phone and tapped in a text. It wasn't urgent but he did want to know. He got a response in seconds and sat back and waited. Harry was going to have Monroe drop him by the station.

A little over an hour later, Nick was thoroughly engrossed in his 'research' and didn't notice anyone was behind him until he felt someone touching his shoulder. He jumped and whipped his head around, feeling his cheeks warm when he caught sight of aroused, yet amused, green eyes right over his shoulder. "Harry," he breathed. He fumbled with his phone, nearly dropping it in his haste to put it away. Harry reached out and stopped him. "Uhm."

"I'd ask what you're doing, but it's pretty obvious," Harry said lightly, moving to sit next to Nick. He propped his chin up on his palm and studied Nick curiously. Part of him felt jealous and a tad inadequate knowing Nick was looking at porn. Every bloke in the tiny pictures he saw was fit, buff, tall and hung like a horse. He really couldn't compete with that if that's the sort Nick was interested in. Sure, the ones he saw Nick tapping and zooming were all sporting dark hair but still. Otherwise, he couldn't say much about it. Looking at naked pictures was a pretty natural 'guy thing' to do.

Another part was curious as to why Nick was looking. Simple curiosity and an urge to learn? He really could respect that. He wouldn't feel he was taking advantage if Nick knew what to expect. Though, so far, Nick had been doing exceptionally well.

"Nothing," Nick said, closing the browser and tapping his foot nervously. He had no idea how long Harry had lurked behind him before taping his shoulder, he was that engrossed in what he was doing. Most of the pictures were arousing enough, the guys looking damn near photo-shopped. He wasn't as interested in those images as he was Harry. He got lucky with a few models that were more on the 'realistic' side; lithe, paler, dark hair. He narrowed his eyes when he noticed Harry was smiling. He sighed and tossed his hands up. "OK, I know."

Harry shook his head and brushed his fingers along the back of Nick's hand, unsure how blatant his touch should be in public. He smiled warmly when Nick's hand turned over and grabbed his, slotting their fingers together. Huh. He didn't peg Nick as a hand holder. He wiggled their joined hands as he tried to find words that wouldn't embarrass Nick but would also get him to talk. "So, did you like what you found?" Nick shrugged. "Oh," he said softly. Maybe Nick wasn't as interested as he thought.

"Well, yeah but my tastes run more... exotic," Nick said pointedly, grinning at the last word. Harry was exotic, in his opinion. His pale coloring was at odds with his black hair. And his eyes; they seemed almost supernatural in their brightness and stark coloring. Not to mention his sexy accent. He snickered when Harry's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Mhm," he nodded, scooting his chair closer and dropping a hand onto Harry's thigh as subtly as he could. The diner wasn't packed but he didn't exactly want to advertise he was feeling Harry up, either. He felt warm when Harry smiled at him. "I was mostly looking for..." he trailed off and cleared his throat. How lame does he sound if he said he Googled 'gay sex'?

Harry leaned forward. "How-to manuals?" he asked, winking. He burst into quiet laughter when Nick nodded sheepishly. He felt relief, too. "So, what did you learn?" he asked, trying not to wink or leer at the Grimm. The light pink tint high on Nick's cheeks and down his neck was adorable and arousing.

"Oh god, I am so not talking about this _here_

-=#=-

"I feel taken advantage of," Harry grumbled, rubbing his wrist. ' _Some paperwork_ ' turned out to be over 20 files and it was going on the third hour. The station was quiet, only a few officers and detectives wandering around or sitting at their own desks slogging through their own pile of reports and paperwork. He glared lightly when Nick snickered. "I wish I could just use my wand and set this lot to do it self," he muttered and pulled another file towards himself. He paused when he saw the name at the top. "Samuel Pillar," he said quietly, quickly scanning through the file to see if the man had reported something that he hadn't been made aware of.

Nick stood and leaned over Harry's shoulder, pressing his chest along the wizard's back. "That _Jägerbar_ we visited a few weeks ago?" he asked, reading the file. He sucked his teeth lightly and shook his head. "Why didn't this come to us sooner?" he muttered.

Harry shrugged, reading the file. Samuel reported another round of vandalism and had asked for him specifically. He frowned, unsure when the report was filed. "A week ago! Who the hell sat on this for a sodding week?" he growled softly. "Is it too late to knock him up?" he asked, checking the time. It was almost 9. He scowled with annoyance; he had hoped to eat at some point tonight. Lunch was hours ago.

"What?" Nick gaped, eyes going wide.

Harry frowned, unsure why Nick was being thick. He snickered when he realized... "Go talk to him," he clarified. Nick nodded blankly, re-reading the report. "More vandalism."

"Yeah," Nick said and stood, grabbing his coat and phone from the desk. He snatched the file from Harry's fingers and strode out of the station. The rest of the paperwork could wait. He grinned when Harry caught up with him. "Hungry?" Harry nodded and sighed dejectedly. He was starving. "Good, that'll be our first stop," Nick said decisively.


	7. Chapter 7

"Those clowns were back," Samuel said when he opened the door to see Nick and Harry. He nodded stiffly at their questioning looks.

Harry took out his notepad and clicked his pen. "Did you happen to see faces or anything that could be helpful in identifying the assailants?"

"No," Samuel said with a low growl. Neither the Grimm or the little guy even blinked and he frowned lightly. "There were only two this time. But-" he said, hesitating for a moment before shuffling closer to the two men and lowering his voice, "-they freaked me out. A weird... hoodoo sorta vibe from them, ya know?" The last time, he had been distracted enough to not notice anything weird.

Harry nodded slowly. Maybe they used magic this time? He made a mental note to check. "Did you notice height? Scent?"

"One was short and one was tall. Like, really short and really tall. The little one was about your size," Samuel said nodding at Harry. "And they stunk," he said with a careless shrug. He wasn't a tracker but he knew their stink made his eyes water. "It was sorta like a rotten orange or something. It was sharp and kinda stung."

A few more questions and Harry thanked the _Jägerbar_ for his cooperation. He didn't promise to solve his issues but he did promise to stop the 'assholes' before they bothered him again. A quick charm for magical energies turned up negative. He followed Nick to the car and sat quietly, thinking. He didn't learn anything new and it sucked.

He sat up and turned to Nick. "Can we go back to the station? I want to look over something," he said. Nick nodded and he stared out the window for the rest of the ride, lost in thought. He also hoped he hadn't lied to Samuel Pillar and that he'd actually be able to do something before anyone else got hurt.

When they walked back into the station, Harry paused when he saw someone sitting in the 'visitor' chair at Nick and Hank's desks. "Do you know him?" he asked Nick lowly. He narrowed his eyes when the man turned, as if he had heard him.

"No," Nick said and walked over. "Detective Nick Burkhardt, how can I help you, sir?" he said, approaching the stranger. He paused when he was regarded suspiciously, nerves and a little fear hunching the strangers shoulders and making his watery brown eyes dart around.

The man twitched nervously, his eyes landing on Harry. "I came to talk to him," he said, his gaze unwavering from Harry. "You can listen, but he needs to hear this," he said, his finger twitching from Nick to Harry. He nodded and nervously licked his lips when Harry sat across from him. "OK, so, I heard you're involved in some... weird stuff."

"Weird stuff?" Harry repeated, raising an eyebrow. He wanted to ask how the man knew, but figured the Wesen community spoke amongst themselves like the Wizarding one. It wasn't all that important, really, not if he got something helpful. He had his doubts though, looking at the nervous man practically cowering in the chair. "I'm Detective Harry Potter," he introduced.

The man nodded vigorously, jumping when Nick leaned forward. "Please don't hurt me, Grimm," he whispered and nearly cowered behind his own hands. "I don't hurt nobody, alright? I'm here to help you guys, OK?" He made a squeaking sound and couldn't control his woge when the Grimm leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. A vision that made both detectives want to hum 'Mary had a little lamb' appeared momentarily. The wide brown eyes lightened slightly and cottony ears vanished as he got himself under control.

"I won't hurt you, sir. I'm... not that kinda Grimm," Nick said, trying to sooth the _Seelengut_ , even though he was pretty sure it was useless. They were basically sheep in nature as well as looks and a bit more skittish than _Mauzhertzen_. He didn't think even his ancestors felt any sort of challenge with slaughtering a _Seelengut_. "Your name, sir?"

The _Seelengut_ looked warily at Nick, not quite believing the Grimm wouldn't slaughter him where he sat but he relaxed slightly when the smaller, green eyed man (Harry he reminded himself -oh, he was always so terrible with names!) nodded with the Grimm's statement, flashing a reassuring smile as he did so. "I'm Ben, Ben Boone."

"Ben," Harry nodded, making a note. "What brought you in today, Mr. Boone?" he asked the nervously fidgeting _Seelengut_. He fought the urge to yell at the man, seeing Nick restraining himself from a similar urge was oddly comforting. It was nice to know it wasn't just him annoyed at the man jumping at nearly every loud noise and move Nick made. He got the impression it was the Wesen's nature and not a sense of guilt.

Ben leaned forward and lowered his voice, "I saw people... people wearing capes or something." He flinched when the green eyes focused on him with frightening intensity. "Sometimes you could see masks, but no faces. None of us have seen faces. They're in the field by my church. We don't mind people using the land if they pick up after themselves," he hurried to add, not wanting either Detective to think he was there to ask for a trespassing charge. He (and a good number of his congregation) was growing increasingly worried by the odd group that gathered. Strange noises and lights came from the field almost every night. They were pretty sure odd rituals were going on out there. He rung his hands nervously as the smaller detective quickly took notes.

"Where is your church, Mr. Boone?"

Ben fidgeted. He didn't like non-Wesen knowing the address and he was even less comfortable with a Grimm knowing it. He was second guessing why he came here to speak with Detective Potter after all. "Uhm. Are you- A-are you going to kick them out?" he asked. He was torn between hoping for a yes and a no. He didn't like the idea of forcing people away but he also didn't like the idea of anything weird (or illegal) going on so close to their church.

"No, sir," Harry said with a forced calm and gave a benign smile. "Are they still there, Mr. Boone?"

Ben shook his head, flinching when the green eyes flashed dangerously. "No, sir," he squeaked. He was staring to fear Harry more than the Grimm. "Well. Uhm. Maybe," he amended."They've been coming and going the past week. I don't always know they're there, they tend to be real quiet. Keep to themselves, you know?"

"Alright," Harry said, forcing a calm smile on his face. His pulse was thundering in his ears and he could taste adrenaline in the back of his throat. So close. It felt surreal and he had to fight the urge to pinch himself. "What is your church's name?" he asked. He could find the address on his own if Mr. Boone wasn't going to cooperate with an address. He could understand the Seelengut's reluctance, he really could, but he wanted to shake the timid man until he told him what he wanted to know. This was too important to not know.

Ben wrung his hands nervously, his eyes darting between the two detectives. He could tell this was important information and he hated the idea of obstructing a police officer's job. The people in their field gave off a predatory vibe none of them were easy with. So, if the detectives could ask them to leave, it would be good. "2341 Willow Glenn," he said after another moment of internal debate. "Please, don't hurt anyone," the _Seelengut_ added softly, seeing the intense look back in Detective Potter's eyes.

"Of course not," Harry said soothingly, flashing a charming smile. He asked Mr. Boone a few more questions but got no new information. He watched as Nick escorted the _Seelengut_ out of the station, trying not to watch the Grimm's arse and failing. He went back to his notes as soon as Nick's arse... er Nick was out of sight. He bent over his notepad and tried to neaten his hastily scribbled notes.

He jumped when lips attached to the back of his neck, moving in a slow, light nibbling caress and making him shiver. "Nick," he breathed, stunned the Grimm would do something like that in the middle of the station. Even if it was practically deserted at the moment. He really didn't mind taking advantage of the rare moment of quiet. He could only guess Nick's ministrations didn't look obvious from far away, but he could feel the man's lips glide across his skin as his body heat warmed his back.

Nick snickered and nipped at the flushed skin, teasing it with the tip of his tongue before pulling away. He was enjoying the way it heated with arousal and probably a fair amount of embarrassment. "Ben said the group always leaves by sunrise but he never notices when they get there," he said softly, running a hand down Harry's side, his fingers sneaking under the hem of Harry's t-shirt and gently stroking along warm skin. He wanted to nuzzle against Harry's neck but it would be quite obvious what he was doing if he did that. He stood back half a step and snickered when Harry relaxed but whined softly with disappointment.

"Are you going to have a problem with me wanting to swing by there? Now?" Harry clarified before Nick could answer. This felt important and he couldn't let it wait until morning. His palms were tingling with anticipation and he had the strong feeling something big would happen.

The Grimm shook his head with a soft, resigned sigh. "Let's go, we can fool around in the car while we wait!" he said and hurried out of the station and to his car, snickering as he felt Harry rolling his eyes behind his back. Like the wizard wasn't thinking the same thing. Well. If he hadn't been, he certainly was now.

-=#=-

"How long should we wait before giving up and heading home?" Nick asked, trailing a finger along Harry's thigh as he looked out of the windshield. He smirked when he felt Harry's muscles twitch and a shiver to go through the wizard. Another glance out of the windshield showed a quiet, deserted, field. Of course, he wasn't sure if it was actually deserted or just distorted by wards. Both were very possible.

Harry weighed his options and darted a hand out and had his fingers intertwined in Nick's messy hair and lightly scraped his fingernails along his sensitive scalp. He snickered, impressed with himself for having faster reflexes than a Grimm. By the time Nick knew what was going on, he was already gasping softly as his eyes drifted closed. "Another hour?" he finally answered, noticing it was inching past midnight. If the Death Eaters were going by lunar calculations, the moon would set in about two hours. He didn't know if he could last that long stuck in a small car with a frisky Grimm.

"Mmkay," Nick hummed, his eyes still closed as he enjoyed Harry's ministrations. He slid his hand further up Harry's thigh, unashamedly cupping the growing bulge there. "Hello," he murmured, smirking. He slowly opened his eyes and pinned Harry with a heated gaze.

Harry swallowed thickly and debated whether or not to use a monitoring charm on the area. It would be easier to let his attention drift but it might also alert the Death Eaters he was there if they ran any sort of charms to search out foreign magic. "Nick, we should pay attention," he tried, squirming as Nick's hand pressed with more purpose and intent. He panted and his legs flopped open.

"Fuck it," he muttered, casting a monitoring charm right outside the car. Hopefully, it won't alert anyone that wouldn't already notice the car. He tucked his wand away and grabbed Nick by the back of the neck and pulled him into a heated kiss. He hadn't kissed the man all day and he nearly ached with the sensation. He felt a warm thrill go through him when Nick made a pleased hum into his mouth, like he had finally gotten something he had been craving all damn day.

The thought made him twitch in his pants and press himself along Nick's chest as tingling warmth shot through him. "Fuck," he muttered against Nick's lips. He tugged at Nick's hair and reveled in the soft grunting moan it brought out of Nick, the sound vibrating pleasantly against his chest.

"Can we? In a car?" It was whispered, breathless and full of desire and interest, and leaving no doubt as to what Nick was asking.

Harry stared blankly for a moment before snorting an incredulous laugh. "Sure," he said, shrugging and chuckling. Until he noticed Nick was serious. He had only had car sex once and it had been rather awkward and cramped. Even for him. Nick's car was slightly bigger inside, though... "I don't know how it'll work..." he trailed off, looking around the car's interior. He wasn't sure how pathetic he should feel that he didn't care he would have his first time with Nick be in a car... while they were waiting for Death Eaters to jump out of the bushes. It didn't dampen his desire or excitement. At all. He was mostly focused on the notion this could _happen_ and it might be his only real chance. "Well, I mean I know _how_ it'll _work_ ," he said dryly when Nick snickered. "But... it'll be a bit cramped."

"Really..." Nick breathed, stunned and instantly hard at what he was taking as a 'yes'. He squirmed and gave Harry a sharp look. "Don't tease me, Harry," he said softly. He was itching to get his hands on the wizards soft, warm skin again and the very abstract notion of being inside the other man had him throbbing uncomfortably and trying to adjust himself. Harry slowly shook his head, indicating he wasn't teasing, and he nearly panted. "Really?" he asked, still not quite believing they were discussing having sex in the car like horny teenagers. He grinned, quite enjoying Harry had that affect on him. Still. He should probably be put off at the whole notion but he was extremely excited and looking forward to it.

Harry rolled his eyes and nodded. "Yeah, if you want to," he trailed off, unsure. Nick nodded, eyes dilated and glazing a little with lust and anticipation. It made him lightheaded as heat prickled through his body to be looked at like that by the Grimm. He nearly rolled his eyes again at the stupid question; what man turns down any offer for sex? None that he ever met.

He slid the seat back all the way and turned around, raising himself up towards the roof as much as he could. "Slide onto my seat. I don't want a horn up my arse," he said, watching as Nick slid across the seats in a smooth move, like a snake. He managed to maneuver himself until he was straddling Nick's lap quite comfortably. He rested his arms on Nick's shoulders and dipped his head down for a kiss.

"Are you sure about this?" Nick asked. "I was kidding, you know. Not that I don't want to! I do!" he hurried to add when Harry raised an eyebrow at him. He wasn't sure if he was being chastised or made fun of. Not that he cared either way. He was nearly a ball of nerves just waiting for the go ahead. "I just... Not the best time... And don't wanna rush you," he muttered, rather incoherently.

Harry rolled his eyes again. The pathetic feeling came back when he realized how much he wanted to coo and snuggle against Nick and make it very clear how sure he was. It was sex. He liked sex and it didn't have to mean anything more than that (but he'd grab 'more' with both hands if Nick wanted him). He nodded and grinded himself downwards, rubbing their erections together through the multiple layers of clothing. "Fuck," he whispered, nearly ready to come in his pants just knowing he was doing this with Nick. It was very reassuring to find Nick was just as turned on as he was.

He muttered a spell, looking behind Nick to make sure their clothes landed, folded, in the back seat and hadn't Vanished forever. That would be embarrassing if they needed to rush from the car. He nearly laughed aloud at the thought of having to chase Death Eaters bare-arsed naked. Or meeting up with Malfoy (should the need arise) with his bits on display. He'd never hear the end of it.

He took a long moment to enjoy the warm press of naked skin and ran his hands over Nick's firm chest. He quite liked the dusting of dark hair. He nuzzled Nick's neck, kissing and licking the skin before leaning up to murmur in Nick's ear, "So, did you read up on what happens next?"

"I think so," Nick said breathlessly, his gaze drifting down to take in the naked wizard on his lap. His naked lap. Their erections brushed together wetly and he grunted, his eyes fluttering closed. "Oh god, I hope I don't embarrass myself." He tried to remember what he had read earlier and his mind went blank until he felt something warm and wet fill his palm. Lube! He was supposed to massage the lube into Harry and stretch him out. He looked up at the wizard as he slowly brought his hand closer to the other man's ass. He paused only momentarily. Sure, in a car wasn't ideal but he wouldn't stop for anything short of Harry changing his mind. "Uhm, you trust me to do this? I haven't before and I don't want to mess it up."

Harry grinned and nodded. He'd do it himself but the position was awkward enough. And he ached to have any part of Nick inside him. "I trust you. It's not hard," he said, smirking at the terrible pun as he circled his hips teasingly. "Just scoop the lube onto your fingers and ease them in, wiggle and swirl them." He gasped and leaned into Nick, giving the Grimm better access when warm, slick fingers slipped into him with gentle pressure.

He groaned and flopped his head forward to rest against Nick's shoulder as Nick continued, his movements getting more sure and steady. He shivered as Nick's free hand glided up his thigh and hip, his skin prickling with pleasant, heated tingles. He couldn't still his hips and he was starting to fear he'd come all over Nick's belly before they even got started. "Fuck, that's perfect."

And then Nick brushed against his prostate.

"Really?" Nick asked, pleased he wasn't doing it wrong. He slipped a third finger in, jumping a little when Harry gasped and bit his lip and his hips started jerking in a sexy little circle. "OK?" Harry nodded and he continued, wiggling and scissoring his fingers. Harry was slick, hot and tight and he didn't think he'd be able to go very long. "Are you ready?" he asked, his voice strained with need and anticipation.

He really _really_ wanted Harry to say yes. He didn't think could take anymore without coming all over Harry's thighs and belly but he didn't want to rush. Harry nodded again and he sighed with relief. He firmly gripped himself but couldn't see. He watched, holding his breath, as Harry reached behind himself and he closed his eyes when the wizard stroked along his erection, slicking him with a quick twisting stroke.

He grunted and jerked up when Harry's hand kept moving. He opened his eyes and leaned around Harry's shoulder, trying to watch as the other man wiggled his hips and guided him in. He couldn't see it but he could _feel_ it. It was indescribable and he couldn't muffle the low, long moan as Harry rocked and wiggled in his lap as he eased up into slick tightness slowly. It was almost torture to feel the slow, delicious way Harry took him in.

Twin pleasured groans echoed in the car. Harry was shaking slightly with the effort of sliding down slowly, not wanting to rush. It had been awhile and he didn't want anything to ruin this. He took a few deep breathes and grunted softly when he was finally seated, his arse flush with Nick's hips. The pleasurable burn was already fading and he nearly whimpered at the exquisite way Nick stretched and filled him.

"Ah," he gasped sharply when Nick wiggled. "Wait," he whispered shakily, his hands pressing against Nick's chest. He still needed another moment to adjust, even after Nick's careful preparations. He sighed and relaxed against Nick's chest when he was kissed, hands cupping and stroking his cheeks gently.

"OK," Nick whispered back and waited as patiently as he could. He didn't really mind, he could use a moment to calm himself as well. He occupied his hands with Harry's nipples, his flagging erection (three tugs brought it roaring back to life) and any inch of skin he knew made Harry shiver and moan. He lightly dragged his blunt nails up Harry's inner thighs and drew a low, shaky moan from the wizard. He reveled in the hard muscles quivering under his palms, running his hands along smooth skin and sparse dark hairs. He felt all over Harry's compact, sexy body, shivering occasionally when Harry's hands smoothed over his own body.

Agile, dextrous, knowledgeable fingers fluttered and stroked over every spot that made him twitch, moan and made his skin prickle and tighten with pleasure. When wicked little hands settled on his thighs and stroked downwards, he grunted something that was almost a moan. "Ready?" he asked, trembling a little with the need to move.

Harry nodded and arranged his legs as best he could for leverage and lifted himself off Nick as the Grimm moved. It took a few thrusts to find a rhythm, but soon the rough pants, wet kisses and grunting moans were the only sounds in the car. He threw his head back, moaning rather loudly when he felt Nick's hands tightly circle his hips and the other man started to move him more rapidly and forcefully, brushing along the magic spot inside ("Right there!" he moaned) and making him softly grunt or moan with nearly every thrust and shift of the Grimm's hips.

"Fuck," he panted, his mind nearly overloading when Nick's teeth latched onto his neck while hands clamped on each arse cheek. He hooked his elbow around Nick's neck and pulled, groaning as their chests pressed together. He lowered his head enough to press a hot, wet, messy kiss to Nick's lips. He moaned into the Grimm's mouth with each movement, grabbing the messy dark locks tightly with his free hand.

"God, you feel amazing, Harry," Nick panted, trying not to give voice to the embarrassing animalistic grunts and other sounds that wanted to come out. He never felt such pleasure before and he didn't think Harry's magic was involved. He could feel his orgasm approaching and he picked up his pace, determined to make Harry come first. Not only did he read it was 'good manners' or something, he really wanted to see what Harry looked like when he came again. He slid a hand around Harry's hip to find his nearly neglected erection and it only took two more tugs before the wizard was arching and coming with a muffled, grunting, whimpering moaning sound.

He was surprised to find out even a toe curling orgasm was a rather quiet occurrence for Harry. He couldn't watch long, though. The dual sensation of warmth splashing his chest and belly coupled with Harry's body tightening around him like a slick, velvet lined vice was too much. His movements stuttered and he came with a shout, pulling Harry flush against him and holding him still as he twitched and panted.

"Oh," Nick panted, thoroughly spent but practically floating. He cracked an eye open, just to make sure they weren't _actually_ floating (he never really knew with Harry's magic) and relaxed in the seat, holding Harry close and inhaling deeply with each inhale to soak himself in Harry's scent. His chest was still heaving and the blood was still roaring through his ears but he felt pleasantly heavy and tingly with the aftershocks of orgasm. He still kept a tight hold on Harry, though.

Fuck but did he smell good. He kissed along a damp neck and licked his lips. Tasted good, too.

Harry felt boneless and was struggling with sappy thoughts and words. "Uh huh," he mumbled, agreeing with Nick's last coherent sentence, his lips unable to part from Nick's neck and shoulders for long. He nipped at the skin, reveling in the salty, musky scent and tangy taste on his tongue. Even with the rather awkward setting, he couldn't quite remember such a spectacular shag before. He hummed happily and traced random patterns on Nick's still damp skin.

"Yeah," Nick agreed softly. He was trying to work out too many things and his blissed out brain wasn't sparking properly and all he could focus on was how wonderful Harry felt pressed against him and still enveloping him in his warmth. He didn't look forward to the moment Harry would lift himself and he'd slip out. It was intimate and he quite liked it. He gently fluttered his fingers along Harry's spine and smiled when the wizard tried, and failed, to stifle a shiver and a giggle. It was adorable and he felt everything that wasn't already melted with the mind-melting orgasm turn into goo.

He heard Harry curse at the same moment he felt the wizard stiffen. "What?"

Harry sighed, hating the horrible luck he still had. Well... maybe it wasn't so bad. Truly horrible luck and they would've been interrupted. "The monitoring charm," he muttered, searching for his wand. It was laying on the driver's seat and he reluctantly picked it up. He fought a grimace as Nick slid out and he settled back on the Grimm's lap. "I... uhm... hold on a second," he muttered and swished his wand over them, vanishing the mess from them both. He shuddered as the slick warmth vanished from his arse and he gently shifted in Nick's lap. "Uhm-" he mumbled, unsure what to say. He nibbled his lip and just looked at Nick with a warm expression, trying to find words.

If he turned into a complete Hufflepuff and started murmuring sweet words, would Nick think it was just the (incredible) sex talking? Would Nick find a way to gently let him down? He doubted it, Nick was gazing back at him with a soft, warm look that made everything go heavy-numb and warm inside.

"Uhm, too," Nick said, a smile twitching his lips up at the corners before he kissed Harry softly, sliding a hand into his slightly sweat-damp hair and the other around his naked waist. He leaned back and nodded when he saw Harry's pink cheeks and nearly liquid green eyes. It made him feel very warm and gooey to see and he hated the moment being interrupted. "You said something about the monitoring charm?" he gently reminded, his fingers carding through Harry's hair. There was a reason they were parked outside of a field, after all.

Harry jerked and nodded, nearly forgetting all about the sodding monitoring charm. "Yeah, it went off." He _Accio_ 'd his old DA Galleon, keeping the message short but requesting Malfoy and any other available Aurors.

He couldn't believe everything was happening so fast. Of course, the monitoring charm didn't _guarantee_ there were Death Eaters, specifically, less than a half mile away, but he wasn't taking any chances. Just in case. He'd probably give the _Seelengut_ church an obscene donation if this panned out and they were actually able to fill Azkaban with more Death Eaters.

His cell phone rang two seconds later and he scrambled off of Nick's lap to retrieve his pants. He half-heartedly glared when Nick snickered and cupped his arse, playfully squeezing a cheek. "Malfoy!" he squeaked, taken by surprise by Nick's groping hands and fingers dipping into creases and started wiggling. Evil bastard.

" _Am I reading this right? You've -what's the word- staked out the fucking Death Eater camp?_ " Draco drawled, almost sounding bored, into the phone. He was studying the Galleon and frowning slightly. He nearly asked what had Potter squealing but decided he really didn't want to know when it was followed by a breathless gasp and a muffled masculine chuckle. He'd much rather think about the incredible luck of the sodding Golden Boy. Weeks of research and waiting and the prat practically stumbles across the Death Eaters in the middle of a fucking field?

It was almost too much for his faith in hard work and thorough research to handle.

Potter's good luck also had him finally able to shag his cop... Not that he wanted to think about that at the moment.

Harry snickered and arranged himself back on Nick's lap, smiling when the man's hands kept wandering his naked skin. He shivered, gooseflesh breaking out. "Hold on," he said and angled the phone away. "Literally, any minute now we're having company." He spelled their clothes back on, sighing very softly as Nick's naked body was covered, and huffed with annoyance he got them on backwards. Fuck it. He tried to glare again when Nick went back to sliding his warm hands all over his now clothed body, the tingling warmth still going through him and setting his skin tightening with pleasure and another shiver to work through him.

"Sorry 'bout that," he said apologetically, lifting the phone back to his mouth. "And yes. That's what I'm saying. I got lucky on a tip." He felt he understated that but whatever. He wasn't looking too closely at anything but Nick's lips at the moment, which were being slowly moistened by his tongue. Ugh, the utter insatiable tease.

" _Lucky? Potter-_ " Draco sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and fighting the urge to reach through the Muggle phone and slap Potter senseless. It wouldn't take long, really -Potter generally didn't have the sense a snail possessed. " _You've defined 'luck' since your birth, you insufferable git. We'll be there in five minutes. Don't. Fucking. Move._ " He looked up, glaring at a shuffling group of Aurors as they burst into his office. A well placed scowl had them stilling and shutting up.

Harry snorted and slapped at Nick's hand before it could dip into the back of his pants. "I won't. I'll stay put like a good boy." He stuck out his tongue when Nick snickered into his fist, his blue-grey eyes alight with amusement.

" _See that you do,_ " Draco said and disconnected the call. "Fuck, Potter just wakes up with a four leave clover stuffed up his arse." He might complain but he counted on the man's almost preternatural luck to help them solve cases. Frequently. He looked up at the small group of Aurors, fidgeting and trying to look calm but with wands ready and navy robes billowing. He sighed. "I did say we're going to be amongst Muggles, did I not?" he asked archly, pointedly glaring at each Auror. Not a single one of them were in Muggle attire.

A short, brunette Auror looked around the group and rolled her eyes when no one spoke. "Yeah, but-" she cut herself off, unsure how to admit most of them didn't have the first clue how to blend in with Muggles without sounding unprofessional. Or stupid. She knew Auror Malfoy wouldn't hesitate to point out both points. "We're not up to date on Muggle fashion," she ended. She shrugged when she was given a frosty glare from the seated blonde. "Sorry, sir."

"I'm rather ashamed to see _Muggle_ borns being just as clueless," Draco said, standing and pointedly looking at two Aurors in the back of the group. He sneered when they ducked their heads and tried to hide their faces in their navy robes. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose again. He didn't get paid enough to deal with this shit. Nor did they have the time to waste. Merlin alone knew how long Potter would be able to stifle his hero urges and wait for back-up. He found himself praying his cop was able to distract him... "I'm also ashamed we have to take precious time to dress you lot properly. You're bloody adults," he said crossly. "Right. Line up, single file."

He raised an eyebrow and the group jumped to comply. He waved his wand over each Auror, transfiguring their Auror robes into appropriate Muggle attire. He kept it simple; jeans and hooded sweatshirts. He snickered softly when each Auror looked down at the grey jeans and green hoodie. It seemed a bit petty to dress them all in Slytherin colors, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. "And if I hear a single fucking peep about reimbursement for your robes, I will string you up in the filing room by your short and curlies," he said in a bored, dry tone that seemed to convey his seriousness just as well as if he'd shouted or hissed the threat.

The brunette Auror that spoke up before snickered and didn't bother hiding her amusement when Auror Malfoy's gaze landed on her quickly. "Sorry, sir. I just... it was funny," she said, shrugging. "Not that I'm not one hundred percent sure you meant every word," she hastened to add. She did believe it. She was just amused (and rather impressed) at the creative threat. No one would find a dangling Auror in the filing room for days. Maybe even weeks. "Auror Tucker, sir. Jenny Tucker," she offered when Auror Malfoy raised an inquiring eyebrow.

Draco took a moment to be quietly amused at an Auror named Jenny. It just tickled him somehow because, if he remembered corrected, Jenny Tucker was deadly accurate with her aim and quick with offensive spells. He wondered how many criminals writhed in embarrassment at having their bullocks nearly removed by a bubbly Auror named Jenny. He didn't show it, but he was amused his threat amused the young Auror as well.

"I did," Draco said curtly and checked his charmed Galleon. No new messages, thank Merlin. He hoped Potter didn't do anything stupid and had stayed relatively safe. "Now, I can only Apparate two in a side-along," he said, eyeing the group of seven. "Who can side-long more than one?" Only one hand went up and he was at once smug and exasperated. "Fine, grab a partner." He waited, squashing the urge to tap his foot impatiently while the Aurors grouped up in twos and one of three. He conjured two bits of parchment, coordinates already printed on them, and handed them to the 'leaders' of each group. "Do not miss. These are exact coordinates so we don't land too close and alert the targets."

Jenny rolled her eyes but didn't comment. It was probably one of the first things they learned in Auror training when tracking and following suspects. Followed closely by dampening one magical aura and apparating silently. She nearly snorted, darkly amused Auror Malfoy felt the urge to remind the group of such basic procedure. Did he find them that incompetent or was he that shaken up by the upcoming raid? It was probably a bit of both.

"Sir," she said, waiting until Auror Malfoy looked at her before continuing. "Are we _really_ swarming the group of Death Eaters Auror Potter went to track down?" she asked, trying to keep the excitement and awe out of her tone. She probably failed because the blonde leveled a dry glare at her, thoroughly unimpressed with her apparent hero worship.

"Yes."

Jenny's eyes gleamed as she stroked her wand. She had been hoping to be on the team that finally captured the Death Eaters. And get a chance to work with Auror Potter. Auror Malfoy tended to hog the wizard and not share. "Good," she said, just barely resisting the urge to rub her hands together with maniacal glee.

"If there aren't any further interruptions?" Draco asked dryly, looking at the group. No one said a word, but Jenny was still stroking her wand in an almost disturbing manner. "Auror Tucker," Jenny looked at him curiously. "Do keep the spells, charms and hexes legal." He apparated just after she nodded with a smirk. Thankfully, he only had to hop once before he reached their final destination. He landed, keeping his feet by only by practice and sheer determination and immediately let go of the Aurors he was holding for the side-along and crouched.

He hadn't a clue where Potter was. He closed his fingers around the Galleon, asking his partner his whereabouts. He was quite pleased with himself he could use the thing wandlessly and wordlessly. It grew warm only seconds later and he held it close to his face so he could read the message in the light from the moon. He snorted and stood, walking only a minute before seeing a Muggle car. He shook his head at the condensation on the interior of the windows and barely suppressed the urge to sigh. Or grimace. Honestly; Potter canoodling in a car like a Muggle teenager...

Harry was waiting for the Aurors and therefore wasn't surprised at all to see Malfoy's pale face floating in front of the window. It shocked the hell out of him, making him jump a little and gasp quietly at the sudden face staring at him, but he wasn't surprised. "Fuck, Malfoy," he hissed, rolling the window down. "You're like some pale, creepy arsed ghost!" he said in a slightly loud whisper.

"Whatever. Are you joining the group, Potter?" Draco murmured, raising an eyebrow when the other man didn't make an immediate move to step from the car. His other eyebrow rose and nearly disappeared into his hair when the wizard finally did step out. His clothes were on backwards and his hair was a fright (more so than usual). "You know, I'm not going to ask," he said, waving a hand and trying to banish mental images when he noticed the Muggle cop in a similar state, only the shit eating grin on the Grimm's face the big difference between the pair. The brief urge to congratulate his partner had him scowling.

Harry just grinned. He was still rather blissed out from earlier and wasn't at all phased by Malfoy's taunts or obvious jabs. He shrugged and then turned to Nick. "Uhm," he worried his lip with his teeth. "Can I request that you stay here?"

"Sure."

Harry smiled, but it dropped when Nick turned and proceeded to pull various Muggle weapons from a hidden space in the back storage area of his car. Medieval looking Muggle weapons. "No, let me rephrase," he said, putting a hand on Nick's arm. "You stay here." He tried to ignore the group of Aurors a few paces away, but it wasn't easy. He also tried not to make this sound like a lover's discussion, merely a professional concern, but he didn't know how successful he would be. He didn't want Nick going and he didn't want to have to pull the 'I care too much to see you hurt' card to make the Grimm understand. He also didn't want to be an arse and make him stay by saying it was an 'Aurors only' thing.

"Why?" Nick asked, having a good idea. As much as he hated it, he knew he would be next to useless if he tagged along. He couldn't use magic like the Death Eaters or the other Aurors. He'd probably get his ass hexed off and he'd have only stupid pride to blame. But it was hard to not stick by Harry's side and make sure he'd be OK. Even if he knew the wizard could handle himself, it just seemed... wrong. He tightened his grip on the studded bat he was still holding.

Harry sucked his teeth and stepped closer to Nick, lowering his voice. He really really hoped no one could overhear him. "Because it's safer for you if you stay." Nick just blinked at him and he groaned softly. He wanted to punch Nick for making him do this now. In front Malfoy and other Aurors. "Please, I won't be able to concentrate if you go. I'll be too worried about protecting you from Dark magic to focus properly."

"Yeah, OK," Nick said softly, still finding it very hard to agree. He still didn't like it but he could see the logic in the argument. He looked at the group behind Harry, smirking when every head whipped away, feigning nonchalance and looking for all the world like a group of people not eavesdropping on every word of their conversation. "Be careful," he whispered, cupping Harry's cheek, briefly swiping his thumb along his lower lip up to his cheekbone before he let his hand drop to his side. He didn't care if the others saw and he was glad to see Harry didn't appear bothered either. He wanted to kiss the wizard but he didn't dare.

Harry nodded, gave Nick's hand a quick, grateful squeeze and turned to Malfoy. He gave the blonde a flat look when he was smirked at. "Whatever. Plan?" he asked, looking between Malfoy and the group of Aurors that had come with him. He only recognized two faces, Aurors Tucker and Holmes, and he nodded at them in greeting. He snorted when Jenny twiddled her fingers cheerily at him. He liked Jenny, she was one of the few Aurors he worked with that made cases almost fun. He wasn't surprised the Auror looked like a kid in Honeyduke's. Holmes was rolling his eyes at Jenny but gave a small wave as well as a professionally courteous head incline.

"Of course, Potter," Draco said and cast a privacy ward around the group, keeping Nick included so the man didn't do anything stupid at the last minute because he didn't know what was going to happen. He went over the plan of action, smug when Harry nodded along humming thoughtfully. He didn't have a lot of time to plan, of course, but Weasel had helped him and it would work. As long as there were few surprises and they didn't lose any Aurors. After checking that the monitoring charm only picked up wizarding presences, thankful they didn't have to worry about any Muggles or Wesen getting in the line of fire, they broke into groups and closed in.

To no one's surprise (well, outwardly; internally every Auror included was shocked but grateful), the plan went smoothly and they had 14 Death Eaters hog-tied in magical bindings and effectively gagged with numerous _Silencio_ 's in less than an hour. The 5 Death Eaters that Auror Tucker snared were all trembling and pale. No one really thought to check them over or call for a Healer, though. They'd be fine until they got to Azkaban.

-=#=-

Harry hissed as the gash in his forehead was dabbed at with antibiotic. Muggle medicine fucking stings. He didn't flinch away or protest the treatment, though; Nick's face was serious and set. He didn't want to upset the other man. He still wasn't sure why Nick was upset though since he hadn't been hurt _that_ badly. A little smear of Dittany and it wouldn't even scar.

"Sorry," Nick said quietly, trying to gentle his ministrations even more. He looked at the cut carefully and sighed softly, angling his head down and staring morosely at Harry's hands folded in his lap. "You're going to need stitches."

Harry shook his head, then groaned when pain speared through his head. "No, I don't. Magic, remember?" he said with a smile, rubbing absently at his throbbing temple. "A healer will be by in a few minutes and I'll be all better." He looked up at Nick and his smile slowly dropped into a frown at the Grimm's expression. It was... well, grim. "What?"

"Nothing."

Harry rolled his eyes, cursing himself for making pain roll through his head again with the unneeded action. "It's not nothing. What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure how to explain it," Nick finally said after a few moments thought. He was proud and pleased Harry had finally solved the case. It was really an accomplishment and he knew he should feel better that a group of vicious killers were locked up (he had shuddered when Harry had described the prison Wizards had; it sounded horrific and just _this_ shy of barbaric). He _didn't_ feel better though, not entirely. He felt selfish because all he could focus on was the fact that Harry was done here. He was going to leave now. It hurt more than he expected it to. A lump formed in his throat and his chest tightened, making it hard to breath for a few heavy heart beats.

Harry scooted forward on the table, pulling Nick closer. He rested his hands on the other man's hips and wiggled closer, hooking his feet behind the Grimm's legs. "Try."

"I'm going to miss you."

Harry blinked and then his expression settled into a look of misery that matched Nick's. Oh. He felt a brief giddy moment when he realized Nick would miss him but it was quickly swamped by misery again when he remembered it meant he'd be leaving. "I hadn't thought of that," he said quietly. He let his head rest on Nick's shoulder, uncaring of the gash on his forehead (and the blood he was probably smearing all over Nick's shirt). He didn't _want_ to go. He felt an empty ache settle in his core at the very thought.

He raised his head and opened his mouth to ask something that would most likely embarrass him but Malfoy burst into the room with a subtle aura of excitement about him. He only recognized it because he knew the blonde so well. He looked up at Malfoy and tried not to scowl at the git's terrible timing.

"Well, it would appear we've managed to capture them all, Potter." Draco gave the two men a smug smile. Well, all of the Death Eaters in the states. It faltered slightly when he noticed the tense, almost depressing mood of the pair. He narrowed his eyes and nearly sighed when he realized the problem. Potter was such an idiot. "Did you want to know who we have, all in their own little warded Muggle jail cells?" he asked. They had only managed to identify a handful of the Death Eaters, most of them complete strangers to him. They did not, however, get the leader-of-sorts. Yet. They had a name now and he nearly cackled with glee at the chance to hunt the bastard down.

Later, he'd tell Potter the good news. He'd probably be just as thrilled to bring down Theodore Nott. The slimy git might have blended into the background at school but he was on their radar now. He really hoped Nott would boast and tell them exactly how he'd managed to almost perfectly duplicate the Dark Mark. It didn't link the new group of Death Eaters like Voldemort's had, but it was close enough to make nearly every Auror shudder in revulsion at the sight of them. It almost made his own faded Dark Mark twinge in sympathy.

Harry shrugged, trying not to pout. He stared blankly when Malfoy leveled a glare at him. "Yes, I'm dying to know," he said dryly. He _was_ curious but it seemed rather unimportant now. He didn't care who they were; they were caught and he could go on with his life. He looked at Nick from the corner of his eye and wondered just how he'd be doing that. With the exception of Teddy, his life before Portland no longer seemed all that exciting.

"Well, if you're going to be like that about it-" Draco snarked and just tossed the file he had been holding onto the table. "I called for transport. We should have them all in some nice, dreary holding cells in the Ministry within the hour." He looked Potter over closely and did the same to Nick Burkhardt. He was surprised to see the Muggle cop looking just as morose as Potter. He leaned against the door and looked between the men again. "Were you planning on joining us in chaperoning our prisoners to their new home?" He wouldn't blame Potter for leaving it to the other Aurors; he looked very reluctant to leave. Coincidentally, so did Detective Burkhardt.

Harry shrugged, fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt. He probably should. He usually felt better, accomplished -and gained a sense of closure, when he watched the cell door close himself. "Yeah," he finally mumbled. He jumped when Malfoy slapped the table by his arse. "What? Fuck! Don't do that!" he said, trying to calm his suddenly kicked-up pulse rate without putting a hand on his chest. He slid his wand back into his holster, not remembering whipping it out, as he glared at Malfoy.

"I will when you stop being a broody little git," Draco countered. "Do you have any idea how annoying it is to see you moping about when we've just concluded a case that's taken us _months_ to close? Months of work, research and you _popping across the world_ to solve?"

Harry shrugged again, not at all rising to Malfoy's bait. "I'm quite pleased."

"Sure," Draco said with a snort. "We'll take statements, if any of them actually fucking talk, when we get to the Ministry." He paused and noticed Potter only nodding blankly. "The Crime Scene Wizards are checking the area, so far, they've found quite a bit of evidence. With what we've already gathered previously, we're looking at some concrete proof linking over half of the Death Eaters to various murders. Muggle, Wesen _and_ wizard." He looked between the silent men again. He gave a long suffering sigh, hating the moments Potter forced him to do degrading things, as his eyes rolled to stare at the ceiling for a few moments. He then glanced at Detective Burkhardt and saw the man looking at him oddly. He let his face crack into a small, tiny smile. "Potter, just stay here and tie up ends here, yeah?"

Harry nodded, trying not to look all that pleased. There was only so long he could do paperwork and only so long he could take to write up his report but he'd take the extra time. He watched Malfoy leave with a sniff and quickly shuffled around until Nick was back where he was before Malfoy interrupted and let his cheek rest against Nick's chest, his arms wrapped tightly around his waist. "Sorry."

"For?"

Harry sighed. "Lots of fucking things," he finally said. Nick just hummed and tightened his own arms. He felt like a complete sap, a besotted idiot really, when he could only sigh again and just remind himself they got to be together at least once before he left.

-=#=-

Nick closed the door to Renard's office and silently handed the Captain his report. Of the 14 suspects taken into the Auror's custody, 3 were left in their custody for the Wesen murders. There was enough evidence, barring the magical traces that couldn't be used in any court, to tie them to the murders. He knew he should be pleased to have solved the cases but it felt hollow.

His gaze wandered to where Harry was sitting at his desk, his head bent and his hand moving in lazy patterns as he filled out reports and paperwork. It had been only two days since they managed to get the jump on the group of Dark Wizards and he dreaded when Harry finished the paperwork and he'd have no more excuses to stay. That tight, dizzy feeling was back and he nearly swayed on his feet.

"Burkhardt."

Nick jumped and whipped his head around to stare at Renard, giving the Captain a sheepish look. "Sorry, what?"

"I asked if there's a risk of those Death Eater people escaping?" Renard asked with forced patience. The very idea made him twitchy and very nearly sorting out some rather illegal ways of dealing with the prisoners. As a police Captain it made him uneasy to even contemplate, but as a Wesen royal looking after his people, he was willing to overlook his own feelings on the subject if it needed to be handled.

Nick shook his head, feeling a surge of pride and affection for his wizard. "No, sir. Har- Detective Potter and his partner were able to bind their magic. Somehow. So, they're just like any other poor bastard stuck in a holding cell." He tried not to fidget, eager to be out of Renard's office and spending whatever time he could with Harry.

"And did we ever sort out the... connection these people had to us?" Renard asked, uncaring of Nick's anxiousness to leave. He knew the answer would not be in the report currently on his desk.

Nick scowled and nodded. "Mostly like we thought. Grunt work. Hired muscle. Apparently, the American magical government is just as closed off as Harry's, not really having any contact with Muggles or their law enforcement, so they figured they were free to exploit them. Wesen were enough outside Muggle laws, they felt even more sure no one would notice their involvement. We're not sure how they learned of Wesen or how they planned on getting them to cooperate, since they hadn't been able to actually get any Wesen in their control." Plus, it helped Wesen had heightened senses that would come in handy for the Death Eaters various plots and plans.

He was still unsure as to the why, though. Harry thought maybe because they weren't quite Muggles... they were advanced, in a wizard's perspective and had unique abilities that could be exploited. He still wasn't sure what they were planning and looked forward to interviewing any Death Eaters that would talk.

"I see," Renard said, scanning the report. "Any idea how they got their list together?" he asked, looking up with curiosity. He really didn't like knowing that a terrorist group, in another country, was able to easily gain access to that kind of information. He'd very much like to avoid it happening again.

Nick shook his head. "No, sir, they really wouldn't talk. Har- Detective Potter figures they got in contact with a Wesen community over there and they talked." He shrugged. It made sense and like Renard, he wanted to know. But so far, he didn't have an answer.

"Why would they share that information? Did they know what those people would do with it?"

Nick shook his head again. He could understand the Captain's confusion and anger. Wesen, generally, stuck together and didn't sell each other out. Some naturally didn't get along, but they'd prefer to take matters into their own hands. "Wizards, well Dark wizards, can force people into doing things, like a mind control sorta deal, so I'm guessing that's how." He shuddered at the very idea and he nodded slowly when he saw the Captain do the same. "Yeah."

"Alright," Renard said dismissively, looking down back to read the report more thoroughly. Once Nick left his office, he looked out his window thoughtfully. Would he gain a wizard Detective or lose his Grimm? Looking at the pair, he knew either option was likely. He should have seen it coming, really. He'd only allow one option and he hoped it was the former; he'd hate to have to think of a plan that would get Nick to stay put that would jeopardize Harry Potter. But he'd do whatever he needed to. He went back to the report with a thoughtful frown, fully impressed at the thoroughness of the foreign Ministry. For a government that didn't deal with 'Muggles', they sure had a fine understanding of how they did things.

The case against the two Death Eaters in their custody was air-tight. They even forged official information, neither having any records outside of their wizarding society, so the dark Wizards could be tried properly. And swiftly. As bad as the wizarding prison was, a Muggle prison was seen as a worse punishing amongst the group of Dark wizards. He couldn't really see why but, then again, he didn't understand wizards one bit.

-=#=-

"Wow, man, I can't believe you actually nabbed those guys by pure luck," Monroe said, toasting Harry with his half-empty wine glass. He snickered when the wizard glared at him. It was half-playful, half-serious. He shook his head once, feeling bad for Nick. The couple reeked of each other, giving him not-so-horrible... er, subtle mental images of why and how, and he wondered what Harry intended to do now. He was rather sad to think Harry would leave. He'd miss his new friend and he was a little scared how Nick would react. He had just barely gotten over Juliette.

And really, he didn't need Nick's confirmation to have the very good idea the Grimm was a little more attached to the little wizard than he ever was of Juliette.

Harry snickered after a moment and nodded his agreement. It _had_ been a healthy dose of luck. "It was ridiculously easy. Apparently, they had no idea I was tracking them. Can you believe it? I mean, most of the Wesen community knew I was looking into something within the first week, but the Death Eaters? Clueless." He shook his head, marveling at their stupidly. Or maybe it was just big ego... Either way, he was glad for it. It lead to their capture.

"Why were they hopping around then?" Rosalee asked, setting her wine glass down and giggling softly into her hand when Monroe immediately poured more wine into it. She sent him a cheeky smirk (like she needed to be tipsy for Monroe to get into her pants) and focused back on Harry.

Harry shrugged carelessly. "Habit, I suppose. Ron said they were moving in a random but clockwise pattern," he said, miming the motion with his finger. He didn't care, he just was glad Ron's researching hadn't been completely for nothing. He had been able to sort out some old sites that the Muggle crime scene investigators were still checking out. He looked over at Nick, realizing he hadn't said anything in awhile. The man was staring into his beer bottle with a small frown on his face.

"So, I bet Teddy will be happy to see you," Monroe said, feeling like a jerk when both men sagged a little. Damn; wrong thing to bring up, apparently. "Uh, well," he said a little too loudly, feeling awkward, "there's pie."

Harry smiled and nodded. "Sounds good." He tried to ignore to sympathetic looks he was getting from Rosalee and Monroe, glad when the couple both got up and busied themselves with dishing dessert. "Nick," he murmured, leaning into the other man's shoulder gently. "You alright?"

"Hmm? Yeah," Nick said quietly, leaning against Harry. He just wanted to go home and spend what was probably going to be his last night with Harry alone. He tried to smile at Harry but he couldn't quite get his lips to cooperated. He leaned forward and kissed him softly, uncaring of their audience. "Do you really want pie?" he asked in a low voice.

Harry shrugged. "Not really but I'm not quite ready to leave yet," he whispered. He'd rather spend time alone with Nick but he didn't want to cut the evening too short, either. He was going to miss Monroe and Rosalee and he'd feel like an arse if he didn't at least stay through dessert. Nick nodded and he slotted their fingers together, letting them rest on Nick's thigh. "After pie."

The ride home was quiet but comfortable. Harry had his hand in Nick's again, soothed by the contact. He was already thinking too many things and the reassuring warmth of Nick's hand in his helped keep his thoughts from depressing the shit out himself. He blinked when they stopped, realizing they were parked in front of Nick's house already. He carefully loosened Nick's hold on his hand and got out, waiting for Nick at the front door. He followed the Grimm inside and was not at all surprised when he was pressed against the front door and kissed with fierce passion and a hint of desperation. "Nick," he murmured, pulling back a little.

"Yeah," Nick said and slowly disentangled himself from Harry, shifting his grip to the wizard's hand again and lead him upstairs. He closed his bedroom door and leaned against it, looking at Harry. He tried to say something, maybe beg him to stay, but nothing came out. Instead, he just slowly walked forward and held the smaller man to his chest and breathed out shakily.

Harry didn't say anything either, just slowly stood back and started to remove Nick's clothes. By the time they were both left in just their underwear (Nick giving a small smile at the tight, green briefs with a silver snake wrapping around Harry's hip to rest right below his navel), they were both breathing heavily and kissing again. He groaned quietly when Nick palmed his bulging underwear and he was lowered onto the bed. He sighed as he settled into the soft mattress. He gasped softly as Nick moved above him, his touch gentle and his fingers caressing. He writhed and arched as Nick's fingers were finally slicked and put to good use.

Nick watched Harry's face as he used his fingers and lips to relax the wizard. He enjoyed each quiet gasp and stuttered breath from the smaller man. He trailed wet, open mouthed mouth kisses everywhere he could reach, but unable to stray from Harry's lips for long. He tried to focus on being gentle, wanting to draw the moment out, but soon he was lost to heat, slick skin and mind-melting pleasure.

Everything was surprisingly quiet, softly murmured words and whispered secrets. By the time they were both piled in a sated, sweaty mass, Nick felt shaky; tired but invigorated at the same time. He smiled softly when he felt Harry relax in his arms, the wizard drifting off into sleep after a lazy kiss that left him nearly ready to pin Harry once more. He sighed softly and tightened his hold, not as tight as he wanted since he didn't want to wake the other man, and buried his face in Harry's hair.

He felt like a sap but he felt reassured by Harry's smell. He didn't think they'd have many more opportunities for a repeat and he tried to push the clenching sadness away. He tried to just enjoy the moment and call it good.

It wasn't good. But it was better than nothing.

-=#=-

Draco stared at the nameless Death Eater across the table. The bland little man was bound, magically and with a set of charmed Muggle handcuffs, to the table and trying to glare back. Fear was lurking in his eyes, so the baleful glare left much to be desired.

"Name?" Draco asked. Again.

The bland little man shrugged and looked away, affecting a bored expression. He jumped when Draco moved swiftly, the Auror's want pointed right at his nose with enough pressure to flatten the tip painfully. "Ah!" he yelled, trying to back up but he couldn't. He was securely held to the chair.

"Name?" Draco asked, a hint of a growl in his voice. Really, he could do this all day. He wasn't at all agitated but it made for a good show. He grinned darkly and the bland little man made a satisfying _eep!_ sound and started shaking. He couldn't use _Veritaserum_ , even if he wanted to; they discovered the hard way the lot of them were 'allergic' to the potion. He couldn't use force; there were monitoring spells on the interrogation room to ensure 'fair' and 'accurate' confessions. Most annoyingly, he couldn't use force. He wanted to pout but it wasn't something a Malfoy did.

He wanted to sigh when the bland little man just sat there, shaking and staring up at him with wide eyes. But he still wasn't talking. He idly hoped the tosser didn't piss himself. He shifted, merely intending to get comfortable in his chair, and the man jumped with a high pitched scream. How amusing... and a bit sad. Just what sort of standards were the Death Eaters upholding this time around? Just as well, really, since he was glad to see this attempt wither and die like the last.

He smoothed his robes and gave the other man a bland look, his wand flicking casually from his crooked nose to his pale cheek.

The bland little man watched Malfoy, fear flowing through him with every moment that passed. He knew the Malfoys had been Death Eaters. He knew Draco Malfoy had been a Death Eater. He didn't buy the Auror's robes; the blonde wizard was just itching to hurt him and demand answers. He had thought an Auror couldn't resort to... other methods, but he wouldn't put it past a Malfoy to bend the rules. Or disregard them all together and schmooze or buy their way out of any repercussions.

If Draco Malfoy was anything like his father, he'd be a sadistic little bastard that would enjoy every pain filled whimper. Even after... if he talked. He was fast losing the desire to keep his secrets, though. Malfoy shifted again and he swore he felt the wand tip digging into his cheek heat up. "Alright!" he screamed, wiggling and trying to move away desperately. "Oh, Merlin," he whimpered when grey eyes filled with a savage glee. "What do you want to know?"

"Name?" Draco asked, his tone bored, his face serene as he pulled out a Muggle pen and a blank file. He kept his face blank when the bland little man gibbered nonsense for a few moments. He slammed his hand down on the table, cutting off the blubbering pleas and promises of whatever he wanted to know as long as he didn't come to harm. "Please speak in a calm tone so that I may actually fucking understand you."

The bland little man nodded rapidly and took a few shaky, deep breaths. "My name is Reginald Abbington. I joined the New Death Eaters eight months ago. I haven't killed anyone!" he ended in a squeak when Malfoy glared at him with disbelief before his face smoothed out into a look of almost boredom. He was so screwed... Malfoy could remove his organs one by one and no one would even know! He nervously licked his lips and looked around, hoping they were being watched.

"Mhm," Draco nodded, affecting a bored tone. He made notes and looked up, pinning Reginald with a look. "What have you lot been doing?"

Reginald _eep_ ed again and spilled his guts. For the next half hour, he told every secret and bit of information he could. It wasn't much, he didn't always pay attention at meetings, and he knew it wasn't much by the pinched expression on Malfoy's face. He wasn't a high ranking member, he wasn't told anything secret or damning. He was near hysteria when Harry Potter walked in. He nearly pleaded for rescue but shrunk back from the dark look on the Wizarding World's Savior's face. He whimpered.

If Malfoy was going to remove his organs, the look Harry Potter was giving him said he'd help. And then probably strip his skin off in neat little lines.

"Do you mean to tell me you know nothing?" Harry asked, his voice low and strained with anger. It wasn't hard to fake; he was rather angry. So far, Mr. Abbington was the only one willing to talk and he knew precisely dick. It was frustrating. He wanted to chuckle when the man whimpered and tried shrinking back in his chair, with absolutely no luck. "You're pathetic, aren't you?" he murmured. He turned to Draco, "They've really let down the standards, haven't they? They'll just let _anyone_ join."

Reginald shrugged, feeling slighted and stung by the comment. "I was invited."

"Why's that?" Harry asked, sounding bored and like he was just making conversation. His heart thudded in his chest and thoughts of Nick were pushed to the back of his mind for the first time in days. If they could figure out who and how the New Death Eaters were recruiting, they could be that much closer to shutting the bastards down for good. And snagging Nott.

Reginald shrugged. "I went to _anguis_ ," he said, looking between the two Aurors hopefully. If either of them were familiar with the Pure-blood club (that mostly Slytherins knew about), they gave no indication. Not even Malfoy. Both looked bored and he hurried to continue. "If you sit at a certain table, you get approached. I didn't know, though! I sat there by accident! When Kent came up and spoke to me, I nearly left."

"And why didn't you?" Draco asked, flicking a speck off his file but listening intently. He made a note of the name 'Kent' just before he glanced up at Reginald and smirked. "Finally included in something fun and couldn't resist?" he asked knowingly.

Reginald felt himself flush and shrugged. "Something like that," he muttered. The only thing he had going for him, and the only thing that really got him in the New Death Eaters, was his blood status (pure) and the comfortable pile of Galleons in his vault. He wasn't magically or politically powerful or rich, but he made the cut to get in the group. Barely. "They had good ideas," he defended when he only got two blank looks.

"Such as?" Harry asked. He had a good idea... and it made his stomach roil and anger thrum through him. He fought a war to hopefully open minds and end that sort of thinking. He didn't expect Muggleborns to be given carte blanche to 'demolish' wizarding ways, but few were ever given the chance to learn. And many Muggleborns wanted to learn! And he knew a lot of wizards that found Muggle things interesting. It was so foolish to fight over something that can be easily changed.

Reginald swallowed, well aware of who he was talking to and feeling like an idiot. A pure-blood and the Savior of the Wizarding world. Both knew damn well what the Death Eaters wanted. "Well, they had ideas of how to keep Muggles out of our world. Muggleborns as well. And..." he trailed off, unsure if he should continue.

"And?" Harry prompted, leaning back in his chair.

Reginald swallowed again, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "And we spent most of our time researching spells and potions that would do just that. I think Our Lord was close when you... caught us."

"I see," Draco said slowly. He scoffed at the 'Our Lord' part but didn't openly say anything about it just yet. He couldn't wait to have Nott in a room and see how Lordly he felt. A quick peek at Potter from the corner of his eye showed his partner was thinking along the same lines. "And what would these spells and potions _do_ , exactly?" he asked, looking down and concentrating on his notes. If he looked up, Abbington was sure to see the rage and disgust in his gaze and he couldn't afford to have the man clam up now. Not when they were finally getting useful information.

Reginald licked his lips nervously. "I don't know that," he admitted. But he did have some ideas. Nasty ideas... "I just know that Our Lord was excited." Harry Potter looked at him with a very unimpressed expression and he wanted so badly to impress the man. "I think one was meant to replace their magical core with creature DNA." He almost felt smug when Potter's green eyes flashed with something... but when he realized it was rage, he shrunk back.

Oh. Right. Potter liked Muggles and Muggleborns. Daft bugger.

"And what would that do?" Draco asked. He dared a glance at Potter when Abbington studied his lap for a moment. Potter looked enraged and he could feel the beginnings of his magic starting to lash out. He could appreciate the sentiment, but he didn't want anything to fuck up the progress they were making. He cleared his throat softly, nodding ever-so-slightly when Potter's eyes snapped to him with a startled look on his face. Git probably forgot he was even in the room.

Reginald shrugged. "I would make their magic available to be absorbed by the caster, as well as remove their magic. They'd be less than Squibs... more like a Muggle," he said, his face pinching with revulsion. "And therefore unable to be a part of our society." He looked between the Aurors expectantly. "I don't know if Our Lord managed to make it work though," he added, sounding depressed and disappointed. He didn't exactly like the idea of stealing someone's magic, but some people needed to be removed from their World, with any method possible. Muggleborns only brought weird ideas and their Muggle ways into their world; it wasn't right and needed to be stopped.

"I see," Harry said slowly. He felt horror curl through him and he resisted the urge to slowly close his eyes. He felt a wave of helplessness flow over him and he had to fight the urge to do something painful to the little man sitting across from him. He wasn't sure how to feel about Reginald's lack of further information; he wanted more but he was glad to not hear any more for now. He nodded at Malfoy and left the interrogation room.

As he walked down the hall, he saw other interrogation rooms filled and he wondered how many Aurors were getting answers as well. He was sure Malfoy and Abbington made a rare combination and he braced himself for disappointment. Jenny came skidding out of a room, her face carefully blank but her eyes practically blazing. "Auror Tucker?"

"Auror Potter!" Jenny gasped and hurried over. "We know where Nott is!" she said in an excited, hissed whisper and clenched her fist in a victorious little pump. She nodded when Harry only blinked owlishly at her. "I need to tell Head Auror Anders! Are you coming if we move out?"

Harry stared blankly, unsure what to say. He fingered the rolled parchment in his pocket and shrugged. "If I won't get in the way," he finally said. He didn't exactly like the thought of being left behind, but he wouldn't force the issue and cause problems because there were too many Aurors. It had only happened once and he never wanted to let that happen again.

"Pffft!" Jenny waved a hand dismissively. "No such thing as too many Aurors," she said, dropping a cheeky wink and starting to walk backwards towards Head Auror Anders' office. "I'll let you know!" she called out and spun around, breaking into a jog.

Harry stared after her. He contemplated going back into the interrogation room and letting Malfoy know... He had sounded particularly interested in capturing Nott. He wondered how much was a personal issue (he knew they were in the same house and year at Hogwarts) and how much was professional. He hoped Auror Tucker would remember Malfoy and let him know. He didn't have the energy to listen to Abbington anymore, after all.

Now that Jenny was gone, he couldn't seem to muster the excitement. He trusted the other Aurors to get the job done and eventually followed Auror Tucker's footsteps to Anders' office. He waited until she rushed out, shaking his head when she looked at him questioningly. A small shrug and she hurried off, obviously excited and anxious to get going. He tapped on the doorjamb, waiting to be acknowledged.

When Head Auror Anders looked up, Harry took a deep breath and closed the door quietly, steeling himself for every and any possible outcome.

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(A/N:  
 _A **Seelengut** (ZAY-luhn-goot; Germ. Seelengut, "kindhearted", literally "soul-good"; pl. Seelenguter) is a sheep-like Wesen. They are timid and peaceful creatures who are almost never violent. They are also a highly social species that tend to congregate in large groups. Seelenguter are normally considered by Blutbaden (and other predatory Wesen) to be prey. They are very weak Wesen. However, when they are in a herd mentality they are much braver._ )


	8. The end.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So... this be the end. It might get a bit fluffy in spots, I just couldn't deny them their happy ending (yeah, that's bad innuendo -wiggles eyebrows-).

Harry looked around his empty flat and nodded once. He didn't feel any sadness or linger doubts, which was a great relief. He was a bit sad to see all of his belongings shrunk down and stuffed into a moving box, though. It was almost depressing; even with magic shrinking everything, it was sad to think his life fit into an average sized box. He never had a need for things (probably because he never got used to having things), so he really only had essentials.

He didn't have much to bring with him, but he didn't think it was important. There were more important things to worry about other than whether or not he had his own garlic masher and a spare toothbrush with the rubber nub at the end.

He idly wondered if he was being rash or foolish, but no. The flutter of excitement and anticipation that moved through his body in a tingly-hot wave told him he wasn't. He had learned to trust his gut feelings and he wouldn't let nerves or fears change that habit now. He disappeared with a pop, the only thing left behind was a copy of his key.

-=#=-

"You gonna snap outta this funk anytime soon?" Hank asked quietly, leaning over their shared desks and looking intently at Nick. He got it, really he did, but it was depressing the shit out of him to see Nick moping around.

Nick ignored Hank, focusing on his reports. He didn't need Hank pestering him. Not when he still felt like there was a seeping, gaping hole in his soul. He rolled his eyes mentally, sighing quietly at his own dramatics. Maybe soul was pushing it. His chest. There was a seeping, _ragged_ , gaping hole in his chest. Right where his heart _should_ be. He stood, sucking his teeth with disgust at himself, and stomped over to get more coffee.

He stared into his cup. It was shitty coffee. Harry's coffee was so much better. He stared into the black sludge mournfully, trying to work up the courage to actually drink it. He'd probably never get to taste Harry's coffee again. He jumped when Hank took the styrofoam cup from his hand, just barely avoiding getting burned by the coffee that nearly slopped out, and tossed it. "Wha?"

"C'mon," Hank sighed, grabbing Nick by the arm and bodily leading him from the station. "I can't take this emo shit anymore."

Nick huffed and rubbed a hand over his face. He felt even worse knowing he was indeed moping, and making Hank put up with him. He should probably talk it out, but he couldn't. It wasn't like they never discussed... emotions, but everything was too raw and fresh to talk about. Plus, he was pretty sure he'd used up his 'whining about the ex' quota when Juliette left him. He was pretty sure that kinda thing took awhile to reset; he wouldn't want to hear Hank bitch and moan about another of his exes (apparently, _four_ wasn't enough) for awhile, that was for sure. "Sorry, I'll try harder to—"

"Shut up, man," Hank said kindly, forcing Nick into the passenger seat of his car. He jogged around and got in the driver's side. "Look, I ain't sayin' you can't be sad and shit. But, man, you gotta try to at least focus at work."

Nick nodded. He knew that. He was a cop; people could die if he wasn't focused on the job. But he'd see something that reminded him of Harry and he'd get lost in thought. It was a little embarrassing but he couldn't help it, apparently. "Sorry," he said again, feeling even worse. He slunk down in the seat and didn't even bother to ask where they were going. He didn't really care. Maybe Hank was going to find a bar. He could use a stiff drink, even if it was barely noon. Heartbreak didn't tell time, now did it? He blinked when they finally came to a stop.

"Get out, Nick," Hank chuckled, opening his door when traffic cleared. He sighed, his head falling forward a bit, with annoyance when Nick just sat in the car, blinking owlishly at the front of Rosalee's shop. He opened the door himself and pulled Nick out. It said a lot for the level of Nick's shock that he was able to maneuver the man easily, half-guiding, half-dragging the Grimm into the shop. The bell tinkled merrily and he looked around for Rosalee.

Nick peered around the shop, confused. Why would Hank bring him here? He smiled a little when Rosalee popped up from under the counter, her polite smile going into a warm one when she spotted them. He accepted her hug, taking the extra long embrace and sympathetic pats with good grace. He nearly rolled his eyes at the _Fuchsbau_ 's display. He was nursing a broken heart, not dying... "Hey," he murmured when Rosalee finally released him.

"How're you doing, Nick?" Rosalee asked softly. She could see the slump to his shoulders and the dejected expression that his face settled into and she felt a little silly for even asking. It was quite obvious how Nick was doing; the poor man just said goodbye to someone he cared about –probably even loved. She wanted to hug him again but she didn't when he gave her a look, as if the Grimm had read her thoughts. She just smiled brightly at him, not at all sorry for wanting to cuddle, coddle and sooth him.

Nick shrugged. "OK."

"Sure," Hank said with a snort. "Hey, Rosalee," he said, chuckling when the _Fuchsbau_ nearly jumped with surprise. He wasn't offended she only saw Nick, her attention focused almost solely on her distressed friend. He accepted a hug from the woman and when he leaned back, he had to ask; "Got anything for a broken heart?" He didn't know if she did, but it was worth a shot. He had seen Rosalee pull all kinds of weird herbs and make potions for lots of different things. Why not see if she had something for that?

Nick sputtered, outraged. "What? No! I don't want anything like that," he said hotly. He might feel terrible every time he thought of his missing wizard but he liked the idea of those thoughts and feelings being _gone_ even less. He didn't want to forget anything associated with Harry, even the pain. "No," he said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest, when Hank went to argue.

"I understand," Rosalee said softly. She did. Most people probably wouldn't, but she did. Sometimes it was worth the pain to keep a memory intact. "I have something that'll help you sleep, though," she said, eyeing the faint circles under Nick's eyes. They weren't obvious but she knew what to look for. She felt a wave of sympathy for the Grimm. She didn't often see him suffer from sleeplessness... It was a reminder that even as a Grimm, Nick was still a man that could be hurt just like anyone else.

Nick rubbed a hand over his face and thought before rejecting the offer. He knew Rosalee wouldn't give him anything... iffy, but he didn't know if _whateveritwas_ would just help ease him to sleep, knock him out like a sleeping pill or halt his dreams. He didn't mind the dreams; most were of Harry and were quite pleasant (even if they did leave him aching and all alone when he woke up). "What do you have?" he finally asked, hoping for something herbal. And not gag inducing.

"A tea," Rosalee said, hurrying to a shelf and pulling a half-full jar down. She waggled the jar at Nick, grinning when he eyed the contents dubiously. She didn't blame him. "I know, but it'll help."

Nick's eyes didn't leave the jar's contents. "Looks like bugs, Rosalee," he said faintly, flatly, feeling his stomach clench and roil uncomfortably.

"That would be because they _are_ bugs," Rosalee said, grinning again. With a few exceptions, even Wesen would look at the contents with the same level of misgiving and... well, revulsion. She didn't blame Nick one bit for the reaction. "Aw, c'mon, don't be so squeamish. I promise it'll help. And it doesn't _taste_ like bugs," she offered as a last resort. She mentally rolled her eyes; as if there was a 'bug flavor'. She shook the jar, the soft clinking sounds making Nick's eyes narrow. The way the bugs were dried and preserved, as well as the leaves and berries they were mixed with, almost gave them a nutty flavor.

Nick scoffed, tapping the jar as Rosalee held it up. "No? What does it taste like, then?" he asked, his eyes flicking briefly to her face. He scowled when she started laughing. "What? It won't like... make me a zombie or something, will they?" he asked, eyeing the contents with open suspicion now.

"No, no," Rosalee said, calming enough to speak. "They tend to taste like whatever you like most. So, some people taste chocolate or their favorite dessert. One lady tasted warm, buttered toast," she said with a shrug. "And I hadn't meant to laugh," she said honestly, feeling a little bad about it. "Just... Your face."

Nick rolled his eyes and pushed Rosalee's hand down, gently, getting the jar out of his eye line. "You promise it won't taste nasty?" Rosalee shook her head, then nodded realizing her error. "You promise it won't make me a zombie, melt my brain or do _anything else_ weird to me?" Rosalee nodded with a smirk. "Alright, fine. Gimme the bugs," he said with a resigned sigh and held out his hand.

He settled down later that night with his mug of bugs... er tea. He eyed the dark liquid with apprehension, watching the steam drift up from the mug in oddly shaped tendrils. If he wasn't so exhausted, but unable to sleep for more than a few hours, he'd probably dump the steaming liquid out and just suffer the consequences of another sleep-deprived day. He functioned well enough... But he had said he'd give it a try and he trusted Rosalee to give him something that would help him. He leaned forward and sniffed the steam, his eyes slowly widening as the scent drifted up. The smell was subtle and he couldn't place it. But it was quite pleasant, making one part of him relax as another clenched with something he didn't recognize, it was odd to feel both sensations at the same time. He figured the tea was pleasant enough, just like Rosalee had said.

He carefully took a sip, blowing on the hot tea as he brought it to his lips. He hadn't added sugar, unsure if that would alter how the tea worked or not, and he nearly regretted it until the lingering flavor left on his tongue nearly made him moan out loud. It was spicy and musky but a little sweet at the same time. He drained the mug quickly, and by the time he was washing the mug with sluggish moves, his eyes blinking slowly, he realized he should get his ass up to bed or he'd probably wind up curled up on the kitchen floor. He wasn't sleepy enough, thank god, to find that idea at all appealing.

Only when he was dropping gracelessly onto his bed (groggy and unsure when he'd stripped down to his underwear but glad for it nonetheless), did he realize what the flavor was. "Harry," he said with a soft sigh as he fell asleep.

-=#=-

Harry rolled over to stare at the ceiling. He had been home for two days (this time) and he already missed Nick. The Auror department had just finished the paperwork for the group of Death Eaters they brought in and he was, officially, able to close the case at last. It was bittersweet and he wasn't sure when he was going to be able to pop back over to get Nick's final signatures; not that he could put it off for long. He didn't want to say goodbye to the Grimm and he had a growing feeling Nick didn't either. But he didn't _know_ and so... he was stuck here, lying alone in his bed and missing his sexy Detective.

It was like a physical ache and he suddenly felt quite foolish, back to being an angsty teenager with his first love, even as he crossed his arms over his chest, smothering a pillow in a tight embrace. He huffed shortly, his hair flying out of his face for a moment before it settled right back where it was.

Surely it was too soon to feel such things, but he couldn't convince himself he was wrong. Or being stupid. Maybe a little over-dramatic. He privately wished he had thought to 'borrow' one of Nick's shirts or something so he could complete his patheticness and curl up with it as he slept, surrounded (even temporarily) in the Grimm's scent. Well, as he _tried to_ sleep, anyway. He huffed again and flopped around, turning onto his side. He groaned softly as his thoughts of Nick went right into the gutter. It wasn't a surprise, per se, but it felt like an exercise in futility because Nick wasn't there to do anything about it. And wanking to memories of the Grimm almost seemed to up his level of patheticness.

Not that it stopped him.

He rolled back onto his back, closing his eyes and letting his imagination go as he slowly brought a hand up to glide up his chest, his palm brushing over one quickly pebbling nipple. Nick did enjoy teasing _licking_ nipping his nipples, quickly learning just how sensitive they were and using the knowledge to tease him until he was practically begging. He saw no reason to be quiet or still, so he arched a little into the imagined Nick's touch, sighing softly as pleasure sparked through his body in a warm wash that ended right in his groin. His other hand slid down his stomach, his palm feeling the silky-rough line of hair leading into his briefs. He quickly shimmied out of the red undergarments, letting them drop unceremoniously to the floor.

It didn't take him long to get going in earnest, his eyes remaining closed so he didn't ruin the imagery of Nick hovering over him. Nick smirking and giving him a heated look. And especially of Nick flicking his eyes downward just before he kissed a path down his body to end at his cock and the Grimm's tentative, but highly enjoyable, oral/hand job combination when he finally got there. He twitched, remembering the feeling of Nick's strong hands and fingers on his body –and then _in_ his body—dipping lower and relaxing him with increasingly confident movements. He wandlessly slicked his own fingers and teased himself, his legs spreading wider as he ran a thumb in a circular motion around the eagerly twitching ring of muscle.

Nick wouldn't be able to spend much time on the task, Harry usually becoming impatient and urging the Grimm to 'just do it already'! His demands had died in his throat when Nick leaned down and kissed him, his groans echoing between their mouths. It hadn't been painful but he'd had to grab onto Nick's hips to keep the other man from pulling away. He wriggled and twisted his fingers, moaning loudly as he brushed along that fantastic spot, his knees hitting the mattress as his thighs flopped as far open as they could. He set a fast pace, again imagining Nick's body pressed to his as he moved inside him. He threw his head into the pillow, soft pants and whispered 'Nick's filling the quiet room.

Harry finally took his other hand from where it had been practically abusing his nipple and stroked himself, the pleasure sparking along his entire body as the dual sensations finally had him arching off his bed and coming in jerky, twitchy movements. He couldn't help a final 'Nick' as everything tensed with sharp pleasure. He slowly relaxed, wiggling under his blankets after a lazily done wandless cleaning charm. He grabbed his spare pillow and hugged to his chest, and exhaling softly in a shaky sigh.

Hopefully, he could sleep now. And indeed, he didn't lay awake much longer, doomed to stare at empty walls.

-=#=-

The next morning, Harry found himself perched on the corner of Malfoy's desk, fidgeting. He had expected the snarky send off and the raised eyebrow. What he hadn't expected was the small frown and irritated set to the blonde's shoulders. He didn't think Malfoy, of all people, would miss him. But even he wasn't stupid enough to misread the signals and miss the blatant fact that Malfoy looked the part of someone that was saying good-bye to someone and didn't want to. It was a little amusing to realize Malfoy didn't want to miss him, the git.

"You're serious."

Harry nodded, his fingers twiddling together. "Yeah. I wanted to tell you myself so you weren't surprised when Anders pulls you aside later to tell you. And before you ask—" he said, holding up his hands, "I don't know who your new partner will be. But you'll know in about an hour," he said checking his watch. He felt a bit bad he didn't give more notice, but oh well. He didn't want to dally.

"I figured this would happen at some point," Draco said with a soft sigh. He hadn't honestly expected to be partnered with Potter for nearly a decade; not only that they actually wound up getting along and working together well, but that Potter would stick with the grueling career of being an Auror. Oh, the prat was good at his job but he expected the stress and downright crippling depressing matters they dealt with on a daily basis would grind down the Gryffindor. Steal his zeal for chasing the bad wizards and locking them up. The horrors of what people could do to each other rubbed him raw at times—he could only imagine what it did to someone like Potter.

He rubbed at his face, his fingers lingering over the bridge of his nose. "I'm surprised you lasted this long, Potter." He gave the stunned ex-Auror a wry smirk. He could admit, even if only to himself, that he _might_ miss seeing the git's messy person about the office. It wasn't exactly a shock; in many ways, he had been forced to deal with Potter on a near-daily basis since he was 11-years-old. He refused to make a big Hufflepuffian overture about it, though.

Harry blinked. "Huh?"

"Honestly, Potter," Draco said with a smirk. "You hated being an Auror. You only seemed to enjoy the last bit when we," he cleared his throat and wiggled is fingers dramatically as he spoke in a lower timbre— "Got the bad guys." He snickered at Potter's gobsmacked expression.

Harry shook his head, ridding himself of his shock. He snickered and nodded. "Right. Well, yeah." He sighed and rubbed at his face. "I don't know what I'm going to do now." He really didn't but it didn't bother him. As much as it scared him to be starting over, in a completely new place, he was looking forward to it nonetheless. He also didn't know why he'd just said that to Malfoy. Even if he had the time for a heart-to-heart, he didn't think the blonde had any interest in hearing his woes. He'd probably actually just laugh and wave him off, showing no pity for his lack of planning.

"Why, I thought you were just going to laze about and wait on your Muggle's every whim?" He snorted when Potter just sort of... zoned out, his eyes going a bit glazey and distant. Oh, for the love of—"Potter!"

Harry jumped, shaking himself out of pleasant daydreams. "Hm? Oh, right. Uh, definitely not. I mean, could you see that happening?"

"Ugh." Draco grimaced and then smirked. "I refuse to let such images stain my brain," he said dryly. "Anyway, I'm assuming you've already told Andromeda the news?"

Harry nodded and stood up, stretching a little. "I did. She was embarrassingly proud. And Teddy practically exploded," he said with a grin. Teddy had gone absolutely mental, excited at the prospect of seeing his American friends again. He didn't blame his godson; Monroe and Rosalee were great people and he was pleased the Wesen (and Nick) got on with Teddy so well. It was just one more reason he felt he was doing the right thing. "Well, I should go. I have to get going if I want to arrive at a decent hour."

"The Weasel and Hermione took the news well?" Draco asked, genuinely curious. The Trio hadn't really separated since school and he didn't look forward to dealing with a moping witch in the halls of the Ministry for the foreseeable future.

Harry grinned. "Yup. 'Mione just rolled her eyes and gave me her _told you so_ look," he chuckled, as did Malfoy. Both had been on the receiving end of the witch's smug expression. "Ron didn't seem bothered." He had felt offended for all of 2 seconds before he remembered how easily they could see each other if any of them got the urge. A port-key or a few pops and they'd be able to meet weekly for Brunch or dinner just like always. He felt nearly giddy at the idea of his best friends meeting Nick. "Right. Take care, Malfoy. It was... an experience," he said, extending his hand to the still seated blonde. As Malfoy stared at his hand, he felt a surreal sense of déjà vu settle over him. And the completely ridiculous urge to hug the other man.

"Right. Take care, Potter," Draco murmured, clasping Potter's hand and giving it three quick pumps. It wasn't the first time they've repeated that gesture but this felt more... final. It was a little sad, really, but onwards and upwards. Or some such shit. He inclined his head when Potter nodded at him and watched the other man turn and leave. It felt a bit odd to see the back of Potter for (what was no doubt) the last time.

He sighed. He didn't look forward to finding out who his new partner would be. He had a disturbing sense of surety he'd be seeing Auror Tucker skipping into his office and he nearly groaned aloud. So help the witch if she even _thought_ of hanging one poster that had a fluffy kitten and some motivational drivel printed on it.

-=#=-

Harry walked into the now-familiar police station, his stomach roiling with squirmy knots. He nodded at random people, his presence there the last few weeks earning him many friendly greetings and waves. He tried not to be rude and forced himself to stop a few times when he was pulled into brief, friendly chats or hand-shakes. He finally got to where Nick would be and looked around. His chest tightened and a dizzying wave of nerves and elation washed through him when he saw Nick sitting at his desk looking dejected, but trying not to _look_ dejected. He took a deep breath, and walked over. He set his suitcase on the floor by Nick's desk, and tapped the Grimm on the shoulder.

He smiled when Nick whirled around, eyes widening as he looked Harry up and down. He nearly blushed at the intense look in the man's blue-grey eyes. "Hi," he murmured softly.

"Hi," Nick said slowly, trying not to gape or stutter like an idiot. His face broke into a nearly painful smile before it dropped, the realization of _why_ Harry was there sinking in. He had hoped Harry was kidding when he said he'd stop by before heading home. He had really hoped Harry would change his mind or maybe at least take vacation time or something so they could spend some more time together. Maybe a little begging would work? He wasn't above doing it...

He swallowed with difficulty and forced himself to remain sitting. He looked away and went back to his file, missing the hurt confusion flitting across Harry's face. He had the childish notion that if he didn't say 'goodbye', Harry wouldn't leave. He knew it was silly (bordering on insanely stupid, really) but he knew Harry wasn't the kind of guy that would leave without a farewell. He didn't want it. He wanted Harry to stay, as unrealistic as it was.

Harry felt the squirmy knots tighten and he nearly turned away and left without looking back. He felt rejection prickle through him before he noticed Nick's stiff shoulders and his jaw clenched in that way he had when he was fighting an internal battle. He summoned his Gryffindor courage, squared his shoulders and tapped Nick's shoulder again, instead of grabbing his bag and running (like he probably should). He frowned when Nick just hunched his shoulders and ignored him. "Nick." He tapped again with more force.

"Harry."

Harry sighed and resisted the urge to slap the Grimm upside the head. It wouldn't get him anywhere and the fleeting feeling of satisfaction wouldn't help matters at all. He shifted from foot to foot and willed the man to turn around again. "I need to talk to you," he said quietly but insistently.

"We are talking," Nick said, turning a page and looking at the file intently. Another homicide. Normal, non-Wesen people murdering each other. Just another day. He swallowed past a lump in his throat when he could just make out Harry turning and walking away from the corner of his eye.

OK, well that didn't work out.

He was still berating himself for being an idiot (for not taking the chance to grab Harry and kiss him goodbye—and it would've been a mind-melter that might even have convinced the wizard to stay) when he was suddenly spun around and hauled up out of his chair. He blinked and went limp with shock when he realized he was slung over Harry's shoulder like a sack of laundry. "Wha?"

Harry just walked out into one of the quieter hallways, ignoring the looks they were getting. Most were confused, some wary, some concerned, and some amused. He quietly muttered a _Confundus_ and weaved a slight distortion ward around them. He didn't want to humiliate the Grimm, just get his undivided attention. He tightened his hold around the back of Nick's thighs when the Grimm went to struggle. "I tried to talk to you, but no—" he said, elongating the 'o' and lightly pinching one arse cheek (mostly just because it was _right there_ ), "—you wanted to be stubborn. So fine, we'll do it this way. I tried to avoid a scene." He _probably_ wouldn't have made a scene. He rather hoped Nick wouldn't have been able to help himself, though, and would've snogged him senseless right in the middle of the prescient when he heard the (hopefully) good news.

"Harry!" Nick said, wiggling again and huffing when he was subdued with another warning squeeze. He hadn't ever entertained the idea that Harry could man-handle him so easily. It was rather embarrassing, especially right in the middle of his station. He raised his head and tried to will away the insane desire that was trying to pour liquid heat through his body. He was so not turned on by this—not even a little bit. "Put me down."

Harry paused, cocking his head slightly. "No." He continued on, heading for the furthest bathroom. After spending weeks in the station with Nick, they found out which bathrooms were popular and which weren't. He pushed open the door and cast a wandless locking charm on the door once he checked and made sure they were alone. He lowered Nick to the floor and smirked at the man's pinked face. No doubt, the upside down hold only added to the reason for the heated skin. "Now, as I was saying—I need to talk to you."

"Fine," Nick said, crossing his arms and looking away. "Let's talk. What did you have to say to me that's so important you _picked me up_ and _dragged_ me in here?"

Harry raked a hand through his hair roughly and fought the urge to shake Nick until his teeth rattled. Petulant immaturity was not a good look for the Grimm. He took a deep breath and tried to sort out what he wanted to say. He had hoped to have a rational, mature conversation but that appeared to be impossible at the moment. He understood _why_ Nick was being an arse (and, oddly, it warmed everything up and made him want to smile) but it didn't make things any easier. "I'm not leaving," he blurted out. He nearly rolled his eyes at himself; that was very smooth and eloquent. He nodded when Nick's eyes widened.

"Really? You—You're serious? You're staying?" Nick asked in a choked voice. His arms uncrossed and hung limply at his sides. He absently wondered if he was dreaming the whole thing. The situation certainly was weird enough—Harry picking him up like a rag doll, and then saying he was staying. This... this was too good to be true. He pinched his thigh, hard, and blinked stupidly. Nothing changed, with the exception of Harry looking at him with warmth and a little confusion. And now his leg was throbbing where he had pinched himself. Not dreaming then. "Holy shit, don't fuck with me Harry," he said in a shaky voice when Harry's expression grew wary and unsure.

Harry shook his head emphatically. "I'm not. I just—Are you OK with that? I mean—I wasn't sure if you were serious when you hinted at it," he said softly and peeked up at Nick through his bangs. He still couldn't read the look on Nick's face. Did he overload the poor man or was Nick trying to find a way to let him down easy? He didn't give a shit about quitting his job but he hated thinking he might've misread Nick and overstepped the Grimm's comfort zone.

"Yes I'm OK with that!" Nick nearly shouted. A laugh bubbled up and he bent his knees a bit to lower himself to look Harry in the eye. "How could you—You know what, who gives a shit. You're staying!" he gushed, barely restraining the urge to twirl around like some sort of maniac in a cheesy Rom-Com movie. He settled for grabbing Harry and squishing the poor wizard in a bear hug that had his feet leaving the ground and dangling adorably.

Harry nodded as best he could, feeling breathless from Nick's enthusiasm and his tight hold. Not that he was complaining, though; even if Nick broke a rib, he wanted to stay right where he was. "I handed in my resignation. Two weeks, but I sorta cheated and used my vacation..." he trailed off, blushing a little. He didn't care he was losing out on a bonus—he had to make sure he was here as soon as he was able to manage it. He watched as Nick's face broke into a wide smile. "I have no idea what I'm gonna do now, but—"

"Doesn't matter," Nick said, shutting the wizard up with an enthusiastic kiss. He unwound an arm from around Harry's waist and cupped the back of his head, reveling in the missed feeling of Harry's soft, messy hair against his palm. "You wanna be a cop?" he asked once he pulled back. He playfully nipped at Harry's lower lip, feeling giddy and a little disconnected at the moment. Harry's teeth nipping him in retaliation helped ground him. It was still real and he squeezed Harry a few times, just because he could.

Harry slowly shook his head. Part of the reason he resigned was he just couldn't do that sort of work anymore. "No," he said quietly, unsure how Nick would react. Another bright smile, Nick's whole face lighting up with it, had him relaxing. "I'm not really qualified for anything else, though." He didn't have to work but he'd go completely mental with nothing constructive to do all day. Even though the mental image of him able to greet Nick at the door, Muggle 50's housewife style, wasn't exactly a horrible one. Well, leaving out the 'wife' part. He'd probably still go with the 'only an apron' look, though... That would probably perk up his Grimm on even his droopiest, angstiest days.

"Rosalee could probably use a hand," Nick offered, unable to stop smiling. He still felt fuzzy, like this wasn't real, and had to keep touching Harry to make sure he wasn't hallucinating the past few minutes. Harry's crooked grin made his insides flutter and go all warm and gooey. He closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Harry's, his fingertips gently caressing the wizard's cheekbones, for a long moment. "What about Teddy?" he asked quietly. He didn't exactly want to mess up the moment, but he couldn't really stand the idea that Harry left everything behind. Even the tiny, super-selfish part of him that would happily bind Harry to his bed all day felt a bit bad. He liked Teddy a lot and he didn't want to get in the way of their close relationship.

Harry laughed softly and cupped Nick's neck between his hands. "Port-keys, remember," he said. He nodded when Nick looked at him questioningly. "I told him, and he's really looking forward to the frequent international port-key trips to see me." He actually was a bit worried Teddy would start to pester Andromeda to visit more often. He'd love to see Teddy, no question, but he'd feel terrible taking that time away from Andromeda. His thoughts fizzled away when Nick let go of him, his feet touching ground again. But apparently Nick only loosened his hold so his hands were free to tuck into his back pockets and those hands clenched teasingly.

"Good," Nick murmured. "Great."

Harry just nodded, a vague "Yeah" in answer as he eagerly accepted another kiss, moaning softly when Nick licked into his mouth and took long moments to snog him senseless. Truly, now probably wasn't the time to talk over important details. But when Nick pulled away again, he knew they were going to. "Hm?"

"Uhm," Nick hesitated, unsure how to continue. "Where are you going to stay?" he asked in a rush. He didn't want to assume Harry would go back to staying with him; not now, when it was more like living together as a couple. He didn't know if it was too soon or if it would freak the wizard out. But he really _really_ wanted Harry to come back. They got along so well and he really _really_ missed Harry sleeping next to him, his tiny underwear riding up his butt (or down his hips) and the way his toes wormed between his thighs. And making that amazing coffee. And those breakfast, cheesy egg sandwich things—Shit, he just missed _Harry_ , period. He, again, wondered if he was above begging... No, he definitely wasn't. But he'd at least wait until Harry answered him.

Harry shrugged, reaching back to gently smack at Nick's wandering hands. He needed to _think_ , not be distracted by Nick's fingers teasing at his arse. "I don't know. I haven't sorted that yet," he admitted sheepishly. Not that he knew it, but his thoughts mirrored Nicks; he sort of wanted to go back to staying with the Grimm. He liked the little house and just the... comforting routine they'd fallen into the few weeks he'd been there.

"Well, you can stay with me. I still have room," Nick said quietly, suddenly feeling like he was out of breath as he waited for Harry to think it over. He still couldn't tell what the wizard was thinking when bright green eyes peeked up at him. There was a hint of uncertainty on Harry's face and he didn't know why. "Really," he added, when Harry continued to look unsure.

Harry didn't know what to say. On one hand, he knew he could live with Nick. Easily. They got along in that regard quite well. On the other hand... it wasn't just a roommate/helping out an out-of-town-friend sort of arrangement any more. Would the difference of them being romantically involved change anything? For the better or worse? It seemed fast to move right in with Nick, regardless if he's already lived with the Grimm for weeks before. He looked up, studying Nick. Those intense blue-grey eyes haven't left him since he last spoke and he shivered lightly with pleasure.

If it got weird, he could move out. Simple.

"Alright," he agreed slowly. He held up a finger before Nick could pounce and start bear-hugging or snogging his brains out again. "If it gets weird, I'm finding a new place but it _doesn't_ mean we can't still see each other, OK?"

Nick worried the inside of his cheek for a moment, thinking. It made sense, logically speaking. Living together was supposed to be a step a couple worked towards, not started at. But still... He rubbed at his face; it was a good point, even if he hated the very idea of things getting 'weird' between them. "Did you just want to start that way and move back in later? Like normal people?" he asked with a crooked grin. He could get down with that idea, even if it meant he didn't get to have Harry around all the time. He really would miss snuggling and the morning stuff.

"Hah!" Harry snickered. "We are not _normal people_ ," he said with a laugh. "And no. Let's see how it works out first. Alright?" Nick nodded, a bit eagerly, and he sighed happily, relaxing against Nick's chest. He smiled when arms immediately wrapped around his waist, supporting him almost completely.

It didn't take Hank long to hunt them down and Harry opened the door with a sheepish grin when there were a series of hard knocks on the door. He didn't know what to feel about the look on the other Detective's face, but he was leaning towards 'slightly offended' when Hank look relieved Nick was perfectly OK, if not still a bit flushed and out of breath.

"You guys alright?" Hank asked slowly. His eyes slid to Harry for only a second before returning to regard Nick carefully.

Nick nodded, grinning widely. "Yeah, thanks." He rubbed at the back of his neck, feeling his face warm. "Uh, so, did everyone see that? Are they still laughing at me?" he asked, referring to Harry's unusual retrieval method. He nearly groaned aloud at the sheer amount of taunting he'd be getting for it, too.

"See what?" Hank asked, his face screwed up in confusion. He didn't get why they'd be laughing, either. Maybe Nick reverted back to elementary school habits and held himself because he had to use the bathroom. Although, Harry being in there too sorta clued him in to the fact Nick wasn't using the facilities for their intended purpose.

Nick blinked then slowly turned to look at Harry. Did he _imagine_ that he had been picked up and carried through the precinct? Hank had been _right there_ ; it would have been impossible for him to miss Harry carrying him off like some sort of caveman's bitch. "Nothing," he muttered, confused by Hank's confusion. Oh. Wait; maybe Harry worked some magic and did something to keep others from seeing the entire exchange? A quick peek at Harry didn't tell him anything so he looked back to Hank. "What's up?" he asked, curious as to why Hank had sought them out if not to make sure Nick's virtue (or manhood) wasn't in peril.

"Just makin' sure you're OK," Hank said with a shrug. He was just relieved he didn't walk in on Nick crying or something. He didn't think he could handle that. "You been all... mopey." He turned to regard Harry, still finding the wizard's presence surprising. He was sure the guy went back home. He looked back to Nick and things clicked into place. Ah. Well, good. Nick had been a pain in the ass and he was happy to hand things over to the little wizard. "I'm guessing that's over now?" he asked with a smirk.

Nick just nodded, unsure just what to say. He didn't think Hank would appreciate him gushing about his boyfriend staying (but he knew Hank would listen like a good friend and partner). It would be... just... all sorts of awkward and would no doubt make them both uncomfortable. But he was happy Hank looked genuinely pleased for him before he slipped back out and left him and Harry alone again.

-=#=-

Harry groaned as his nipple was roughly tongued then nibbled. His hand settled on the back of Nick's messy head and the Grimm didn't seem to mind, especially when he gently pulled the soft strands between his fingers. He hissed a breath between his teeth when lip covered teeth bit down and he quickly shoved Nick's face back down before the man could worry he'd been too rough.

"Feels brilliant," Harry murmured, his body arching a little as Nick's hands slid down his ribs, his thumbs taking over the stimulation to his nipples. Merlin, Nick had amazing hands. He moaned softly, vanishing his pants when Nick's lips left his and left a moist, tingling trail down his chest and abdomen. He twitched with surprise and pleasure when Nick's tongue circled his navel. " _Fuck_." He wanted to grab a hold of Nick's ears and direct him towards his cock, but he resisted. 

Nick grinned against Harry's skin. He'd had quite a few days (and nights) alone to think about what he'd do to his wizard the next time he saw Harry. Of course, at the time it was part of some hopeful, half-cocked plan to seduce the wizard into staying. He didn't have to manipulate Harry any longer but he still wanted to try everything he had imagined. "Can I touch you... anywhere?"

"Fuck yes," Harry breathed. He didn't know what Nick had in mind and he didn't care. He shifted willingly when Nick's hands slid down the back of his thighs and pushed up. He groaned in anticipation as his knees pressed into his chest, automatically grabbing the backs of his own legs and holding them. "Oh Merlin," he whispered as he watched blue-grey eyes dilate as they looked down his body and Nick dropped his head. He groaned, long and low, when he felt the wet wriggle of Nick's wide, flat tongue glide across his arse and he resolved to let Nick figure things out on his own more often. The man found the most amazing things when left to his own devices. 

He tried to spread himself even wider as Nick's tongue pointed and started doing amazing things. Where did he learn how to roll and undulate his tongue like that? It was almost too much to handle when Nick's free hand seemed in constant motion between wanking him lazily and brushing along that sensitive area where his arse met his thigh. He gasped, his hands clenching until he was sure he was leaving finger-shaped bruises, as slick fingers joined the firm pressure of Nick's tongue.

Nick tried to focus on what he was doing, but it was hard with the way Harry was writhing and moaning. He pulled back occasionally to watch the slick-shiny furl of muscle twitch and flutter. Fuck, that was hot. He looked up at Harry; his wizard looked a bit wanton, a little slutty, and _absolutely fuckable_ holding his own thighs. Which was weird because he thought it would look awkward, not erotic. He gently uncurled Harry's fingers and watched as his legs flopped boneless to the bed and Harry's head lolled. "Good?" he asked, smirking. He knew it was good; Harry looked wrecked and he hadn't really even gotten started.

"Brilliant," Harry said, giving Nick a dopy smile. He wrapped his arms and legs around the Grimm when Nick lowered himself a little. He arched and writhed, hoping Nick would stop stalling. He pulled Nick into a heated kiss, groaning when Nick unabashedly licked into his mouth and thrust his tongue inside. Merlin, it was like he was tongue fucking him and it only sent heat through his entire body and upped his sense of needy urgency. He would happily do slow, romantic later; he needed hard and fast right now. The message was finally received when Harry reached down and wrapped a hand around Nick's cock, guiding the man where he needed him. Nick was quick to catch on and they both groaned softly as Nick slid all the way in. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he chanted. His fingers scrabbled for grip when he was practically bent in half and Nick started to move.

His head rolled bonelessly, most of his other movements restricted by Nick's hold and the position he was held in. Not that he cared; it felt too fucking _good_ to care that his knees were practically in his ears or that his head was hitting the headboard occasionally. Nick's hands were gripping his thighs tightly and the Grimm was moving in such a way that really showed off his strength and made Harry's eyes roll back in his head. He knew he was babbling something (he wasn't sure what) but it seemed to motivate Nick into thrusting just a bit harder, rolling his hips and angling his thrusts _just so_ and making him want to scream.

"Harry," Nick choked out, sliding his hands down Harry's sweat slicked thighs to rest on the bed. He was sure he was squishing Harry, his legs still pinned and holding him in that bent position, but he heard no complaints. Only a loud moan as their bodies came together that much closer. Tighter. His hair was grabbed tightly and he moaned as he was pulled into a deep kiss, the messy slickness of it perfect in the moment. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to wring out a few more moments before he came. He groaned when he felt Harry tighten around him, his ass squeezing in that perfect way as the wizard came. He nearly made it but Harry started rhythmically squeezing his ass. Between that little move and the slick, wet, hot feel of come sliding across his belly, he was done in. "Damn," he sighed on a long shaky exhale, slowly easing off of Harry. He snickered softly when Harry only grunted in response. 

He did so enjoy the sight of a fucked out wizard. "OK?" he asked in a low murmur when Harry hadn't moved (except to breath and sigh in a blissed-out happy way).

Harry hummed and relaxed into the bed. "Yeah," he finally said, his eyes still closed as he enjoyed the lingering effects of orgasm in his pleasure-heavy limbs and the way his whole body tingled. He hummed again when he felt himself being rearranged, snuggling into the warmth of Nick's shoulder. He was sure he melted completely when Nick nuzzled and then kissed his temple, a hand gently sliding down his side. His puddle-like state was complete when Nick's hand came to a rest on his hip and pulled him closer, the touch loving and almost reverent. He shifted just enough to wiggle his toes between Nick's thighs, smiling when Nick adjusted his position to accommodate him with a happy sounding sigh.

-=#=-

Monroe looked between the two men and felt like his face was gonna crack in two. "That's so _awe_ some, dude!" He leaned forward enough to clap Nick on the shoulder before doing the same to Harry. He had hoped things would work out for the couple. He didn't think humans did that whole mating-for-life thing, but Nick had been miserable enough to have him wondering. Of course, he was happy to see Harry for Nick's sake but he was just happy the wizard was back, period. Even if Nick and Rosalee snicker and roll their eyes, he likes that Harry doesn't make fun of him when he wants to swap recipes or something like that.

Matter of fact, he was looking forward to trying the recipe for Tofu Parmigiana Harry handed him a few minutes ago when he let him and Nick in.

"Yeah," Nick said, rotating his shoulder a little. Monroe was stronger than he looked and that slap had been full of enthusiasm. "Anyway, I was just wondering, you know..." he trailed off, peeking at Harry from the corner of his eye. He felt a bit awkward asking his friends to do... couple things. They had before but it had always just sorta happened those times. Now that he had to ask, make plans and such... it was a little weird.

Harry snickered and laid a comforting, calming hand on Nick's thigh. "I don't know why he's being so awkward. We'd like to have you guys over to ours, for dinner. Tomorrow?" He smiled, doing a little mental happy dance at how easily 'ours' just popped out of his mouth and at how Monroe and Rosalee didn't even look surprised.

"Sure!" Rosalee squealed, bouncing a little in her seat. She cleared her throat and sat back in her chair, pushing her hair back, feeling a little embarrassed for her teenager moment. "That would be lovely," she said with a warm smile. "Should we bring anything?"

Harry shrugged. "I haven't any idea. I've... never done this sort of thing before. Wine maybe?" he asked, looking from Nick to Monroe and back to Rosalee. "Whatever is fine, really. I'm thrilled if you just bring yourselves."

"Aw," Rosalee cooed, smothering the urge to pinch Harry's cheeks. He was a grown man, for crying out loud. "Well, now that you're staying, what are you going to do?"

Monroe hummed in agreement, looking at Harry with interest. He wondered if the wizard would start working with Nick, or something since he was basically a cop.

"I'm not all that sure yet," Harry said honestly, shrugging. He had considered helping Nick with Grimm cases, but that wasn't exactly full-time work. He hadn't seen anything worthwhile, career-wise, when he looked into the local Wizarding Community just outside of Portland. It was a small, tight-knit community. The people were polite enough but he got the distinct impression they weren't impressed with having a stranger around. A foreign stranger. "I've got a bit to figure it out before I go mental with boredom."

Rosalee nodded. "I can always use a hand, if you're ever bored enough," she offered with a smile.

"Yeah!" Monroe gushed, leaning forward and slapping at his thighs. How cool would that be?

Harry chuckled and shared a look with Nick, both of them feeling a little smug at the expected offer. Even if they had guessed it would come, it still felt nice Rosalee would offer; the Fuchsbau certainly didn't have to. "Thanks, I'll definitely keep it in mind." He smiled, truly touched at the offer. Mostly because Rosalee trusted him near her storeroom and because it was a genuine offer. "Oh! I almost forgot, Teddy is visiting, so he'll be there for dinner."

"Oh my god! Sweet man!" Monroe nearly yelled, pumping his fist. He grinned unabashedly even as he was laughed at. He wasn't ashamed to show how excited he was that Teddy was coming. He had missed the little dude. "He stayin' for awhile?" he asked, mostly looking at Harry. He knew the men were living together again, but it just seemed appropriate to ask Harry (even if it was Nick's house—well, Nick's house _first_ ) since it was his godson.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, Andromeda got him a weekend port-key. I'm hoping when summer hits, he can stay for a few weeks."

Monroe bounced a little in his seat, grinning at Rosalee when she giggled at him. It might be a little weird, but he felt Teddy was almost like family. It was probably just his _Blutbad_ nature reacting to the werewolf blood in the kid, but whatever. "That'll be nice," he said, calming himself so they all stop laughing and snickering. It wasn't like he was the only one that adored the kid. He wasn't sure if it was wrong, but he was glad Harry had decided to stick around so he'll be able to see more of Teddy. Letters were cool and all, but nothing beat personal visits.

"Yeah, Teddy asked if he'd be able to stay with you for a bit?" Harry asked, smiling and already anticipating the answer. He snickered when Monroe goggled at him and nodded. He'd been a little surprised Teddy had asked, but he could understand his godson's desire to spend time with Monroe. "He already knows not to touch your work area. And I'll make sure he's got a cell phone for emergencies." He didn't add that he'd add some wards around the _Blutbad_ 's home; he knew Monroe won't mind. It probably was a bit overprotective, but old habits died hard and he wouldn't be able to relax otherwise.

Monroe grinned. "S'cool, I'm not worried about my stuff." He bounced a little in his seat, looking forward to doing wolfy things with Teddy during the summer. "Well! Dinner's ready, so—" he trailed off, hopping up and heading into the kitchen. He heard the shuffle of footsteps as everyone followed behind him and settled in at the table to eat.

Harry smiled and draped a napkin across his lap, leaning back a bit as he waited for Monroe to bring bowls and plates to the table. He sighed softly, happily, and couldn't imagine why he'd had any doubts coming back. He winked when Nick looked at him, a mildly curious expression on his face, and patted his thigh comfortingly. He nodded when Nick mouthed 'OK?'.

Yeah, everything was OK.


End file.
